From Amsterdam to Llandaff: The International Art of William Francis Dixon

On a recent trip to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, I was fascinated by the large stained glass windows in the upper floor gallery where the Dutch Masters are located. This gallery was built in the nineteenth century on a grand scale, perhaps inspired by the Victoria and Albert museum and similarly decorated. On closer inspection, I found the inscription “W.F. Dixon” in the corner of the window below the figure of Rembrandt, and I recalled his connection to Llandaff.

William Francis Dixon (1848-1929) was a pupil of Clayton & Bell, before setting up business on his own account in 1872. He moved to Munich in 1894 where he worked as a designer for the firm of Mayer, eventually dying there in 1929. The window is almost Art Nouveau in character and anticipates the influence of Beardsley by about a decade. Much of his glass is found in continental Europe but he is represented in Cardiff both at the Cathedral and above the Bute family burials at St Margaret’s church in Roath.

Victorian coal magnate James Insole commissioned a window from Dixon following the death of his wife Mary-Ann in 1882. This three-light window is found just behind the pulpit in the north aisle.

It features three women with Biblical associations: from the Old Testament on the left is Ruth, with sheaves of barley from the field of Boaz (Book of Ruth); in the centre is Dorcas (aka Tabitha) , feeding the poor from the Book of Acts; and St Anne, the mother of Mary on the right. Above them are female figures symbolising faith (with a cross) charity (with a crown) and hope (with an anchor); and angels with musical instruments.

Texts from the Beatitudes are found underneath, including “Blessed are the poor in spirit” and “Blessed are they which do hunger” (an unfortunate shortening of the quotation by the omission of the words “and thirst after righteousness” one feels!). At the top of this light is an angel bearing a cross. Curiously, Ruth seems to have an extra toe on her right foot!

This edition’s feature is provided by Dr Nick Lambert, Cathedral Archivist, with text from Nevil James. Photos from Rijksmuseum by N. Lambert; photo of the Llandaff window by Colin Price from here.