The Victorian brasses

As these two examples show us, the Victorians carried on the tradition of figurative memorials which stretches back to medieval times.

George Basevi d.1845 Ely Cathedral Although this is a Victorian brass, it has lots of medieval features such as the ornate canopy and foliage in the background. This is thought to be a portrait brass where the features are a good likeness of the person commemorated. Basevi was an architect and he is buried in Ely Cathedral, where he died when he fell from scaffolding as he was inspecting a tower he was redesigning. A T square and a set of dividers, the tools of his trade, are depicted in the canopy and he is holding the plans for his design of the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.

Rev. William Skipsey Saunders d.1901 Guildford, Surrey The Rev Saunders died in the same year as Queen Victoria and was rector of St Nicholas Church in Guildford from 1884-1901. The image of St Nicholas appears on one side shaft and St Catherine is seen in the other Again as is common in Victorian brasses, there are many medieval features including the ornate canopy. This is a portrait brass and the cleric is holding the communion chalice and a wafer. He is wearing eucharistic robes.