pumpkinstrokemarrow

For most of yesterday our minds were on higher things, starting out at the new Renaissance galleries at the V&A, where they have assembled a truly remarkable collection. OK, so not quite the same as seeing the stuff in-situ, in the church, the palace or whatever, as one can at Florence. But given that one is not in Florence, a rather good second best. Some fascinating carved stone well heads which I had not come across before, clearly an item of conspicuous consumption in Italy at that time. A splendid round tomb stone carved in low relief. And some splendid balcony panels, also carved in low relief. The dominant note in both stone and panels being very effective, but simple geometric pattern. Some rather lurid altar pieces from Germany reminding one how exactly martyrs got martyred. We gave the middle of the three floors a reasonable look. Going to have to go back to do more on the other two.

Rounded this off with a whizz around the theatrical galleries up on the third floor. Lots of costume but what was interesting me yesterday were the models of theatres and sets.

Next stop the Brompton Oratory. Very grand and gloomy on this rather overcast day. Spent some time in the small chapel to the right of the altar, behind the elaborate altar to Mary. Bold but effective detailing to the stone work.

Couldn't get into the CofE church nestling behind. Only open on Sundays, despite the fancy new porch and despite the fact that I am sure that is was open last time I tried. Maybe some time ago now.

Moved onto Pont Street to see the Presbyterian Church of Scotland church there. Post war reconstruction; large and rather impressive. Good pillars and capitals; the latter having restrained but effective carving. Circular, restrained, modest and effective east window. A building which provides space for a congregation without trying to overwhelm it. Of which more shortly.

Down the rather curious and rather long Pavilion Street, running just behind Sloane Street. A proper old mews street with lots of large and ancient garage doors, perhaps dating from the days of horse and carriage. There were also quite a few old houses. Some new build. No pub for the refreshment of those in service but passed three young ladies dressed up as maids in full black and white gear having a fag on a door step. Foreign; BH thought French.

Quick pick-me-up in a place called the 'Chelsea Brasserie'. Tea and cake. Not much choice but a good carrot cake with a good, slightly crunchy topping I had not come across before. Clientele very metropolitan. Not like the Cafe Rouge in Epsom at all.

Rounded off the arts and crafts with a place described as the cathedral of the arts and crafts movement. A place which I must have been past tens if not hundreds of times but have never before gotten around to going in. Around 130 years old and big. No expense spared on the windows which included big-name artists for the stained glass. The east window was something special with stained glass playing well to the tracery. The lady told us that it look especially special if you happened to be there at dawn, with the sun rising behind it. North aisle windows rather different, breaking the Pugin rule about not having pictorial elements cutting across the tracery, but working just the same. Other windows different again. The lady also told us that the place is full on Sunday - quite an achievement for a place of this size. But congregation well heeled enough to support a rather grandly printed book of the church for £5 - from the Trinity Arts and Crafts Guild. See matching web site at http://www.holytrinitysloanesquare.co.uk.

Seems odd now that they thought seriously about knocking the place down in the late sixties.

All of which led to a deep thought this morning. The Elizabethan apron stage was very lightly propped. Not much interest in fancy decor or fancy clothes. The idea was to focus on the actors and what they were saying, rather than on their packaging. Is it a coincidence that this sort of stage flourished at the same time and place as the Puritans, not that different from the Presbyterians above, who wanted to move the focus of a service from the rituals of remote priests in fancy (if affective) surroundings to a something simpler, in which the word was more important than the decor? Leaving aside as irrelevant - to my mind anyway - the fact that Puritans were rather anti-theatre, elaborate or not.