Dorchester Abbey, Dorchester on Thames, Oxfordshire

The Tree of Jesse was a popular theme in Medieval art, appearing in numerous stained-glass windows. This is an idea adapted from the Biblical metaphor taken from Isaiah 11:1 which describes the descent of the Messiah. These artworks show Jesse, an ancestor of Christ, usually reclining at the bottom of the work, with a branch growing out of his side. A great tree grows from this on which can be found various successive generations, leading ultimately to Christ and the Virgin Mary at the apex.

There are numerous examples of this subject, but none are so stunning as that from Dorchester Abbey. This window is a fusion of tracery, sculpture, and glass without parallel in its scale or refinement. The figure of Jesse is a sculpture at the base of the window. The branch that grows out of him follows the lines of stonework and tracery in the window, with further sculpted figures placed on the stonework. Further figures are included in the glass, making this a unique combination of mason, sculptor, and glazier.

Though the window has suffered damage and loss over the years it still retains all its power to astonish. Here stained glass is deployed as an architectural art form in the fullest sense. I have never seen anything like it.