The stained glass of Herbert Hendrie
William Wilson regards the brightly coloured stained glass of Herbert Hendrie (1887 - 1947) as more successful than the works of the world famous Douglas Strachan. Strachan might be a greater artist but his glass designs can be criticised for being overcrowded and fussy. Not so the works of Hendrie who taught his students at Edinburgh College of Art the importance of simplicity.
The windows attributed to him in St Salvator's are all located in the west end of the building and consist of the armorial window in the ante-chapel and the three windows of the organ loft. Whilst it has yet to be established for certain that Hendrie is the artist behind these works, there is substantial evidence in favour of this attribution. The strong visual link between the designs in the Chapel and other contemporary works by the artist in the local area is of particular significance. The deterioration of the glass is another strong indicator; Hendrie's windows are particularly prone to the kind of buckling we see in the ante-chapel, because of the type of leads he used.
The organ loft windows include a tiny one light window set into the depth of the massively built west wall. This charming window depicts the figure of Bishop Kennedy in the regalia of his office offering his blessing and a book. The scarlet of his robes is contrasted with gold, blue and white accents - the whole forming a wonderfully simple but extraordinarily successful design.
In the south wall are two larger windows, each the equivalent to half of the windows in the bays further east. The window above the south door depicts three figures from the Old Testament, each bearing an instrument. In the centre light is King David with his harp, left of him is Jubal, with the Pan Pipes, whilst in the right light, Miriam plays the tambourine. The tracery above includes the Dove of the Holy Spirit and the hand of God bearing the Light of Truth. Between these two images is a quatrefoil bearing an angel playing the pipes. Once again simplicity is the key to the design's success. King David wears a scarlet cloak which is contrasted by the blue and white costumes of Jubal and Miriam, and the simple white and green used in the background.
To the right of this window is a far more complex design that nevertheless avoids fussiness by keeping to the same simple colour palette and bold drawing of the human figure. The three lights depict, from left to right, John Honey, the martyrdom of Patrick Hamilton and the Warriors of Righteousness. The central light is particularly impressive. The expressiveness of the faces and gestures of the protagonists are brilliant examples of the artist's work. The elongation of the figures is also noteworthy, Hendrie knew that his chosen medium could not be approached in the same manner as an oil painting, something many stained glass artists fail to appreciate. The throng of the warrior scene is similar to so many of the period; the infantrymen at the Front being flanked by knights and standard-bearers. Above these three scenes, the tracery is also filled with surprisingly complex imagery. Prominent amongst these is a representation of St George slaying the Dragon.
Hendrie's designs for St Salvator's are rarely seen by either the worshipper or the visitor, the steps up to the organ loft being behind a locked door in the ante-chapel. However, entry can be gained by asking at the Porter's Lodge next door to the Chapel. It is certainly worth the effort as these windows are as fascinating as they are effective.