Skylight panel from a set of six 1913

This skylight panel is one of six made by William Gray Purcell. I can imagine Purcell standing underneath the space in which the skylight will be installed, considering how light will penetrate through it, considering how the shape will complement the room below. The colours are cool, like looking into the sky; lots of greens and blues, with golden yellows for the morning sun. I like the frame around the glass: the dark wood creates a lovely geometric structure. You get the impression that you’re peering through a window within a window, right? Purcell would have spent time thinking about the overall effect, and how to ensure the skylight provides both structure and decoration. And, like all artists, I think that Purcell probably looked to the art of his day, but also the art of the past, for inspiration and ideas.