Restoring, Preserving
and Creating
the Treasured Heritage of Radiant Stained Glass
the Treasured Heritage of Radiant Stained Glass
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Restoring, Preserving
and Creating
the Treasured Heritage of Radiant Stained Glass |
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Many factors can influence the final decision about your stained glass design selection. The input from the architect or a liturgical consultant is usually valuable. Artistic persons from the congregation can be helpful. In the end, however, you learn that creating the right stained glass windows for your church requires careful attention to five elements: theme, design style, shape, color and budget. Theme – Choosing the theme or subject of a stained glass design is the central element of your decision. The original stained glass from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries was created to tell the biblical story to the uneducated masses. Biblical scenes continue to dominate the themes chosen in the 21st century. Still, some stained glass committees have shown remarkable creativity in their use of biblical themes. Rather than automatically choosing obvious scenes–Jesus knocking at the door, for example, or the Good Shepherd–congregations can select biblical themes unique to them and their message. The decision made
by the Mount Olivet congregation serves as a good illustration. Since
Mount Olivet is another name for the Mount of Olives, the stained glass
committee searched the Scriptures for references related to the Mount
of Olives. The one nearly everyone knew was Christ's prayer in the Garden
of Gethsemane. That meant the betrayal of Jesus also took place on the
Mount of Olives. Further research revealed less-known connections: the
triumphal entry began on Mount Olivet; Jesus' ascension into heaven took
place on its slopes; and many other biblical applications can be found
for the olive and the olive tree. The Mount |
Olivet congregation found a biblical theme that tied in with their own name, providing the stained glass designer with many unique ideas. Biblical themes are not the only choice for a committee. Historical, regional and denominational themes have also been popular and appropriate. Even the most abstract windows can display themes such as creation or a sunrise. Design Style – The first great heyday of American stained glass was between 1890 and 1917, when America built massive naves with traditional pictorial stained glass, most were painted and fired. These were designed and fabricated by German, English, French and Italian artists primarily, many of whom had immigrated to America near the turn of the century. Strictly American stained glass used ordered Gothic, Roman and rectangular designs with a heavy use of round glass "jewels". Today the excessive
costs of painted and fired pictorial glass, plus the changing tastes
of consumers, have made the traditional window less popular. And though
modern artists may use pictorials of medallions to focus their theme,
they may also use simple backgrounds in traditional, contemporary or
abstract form for the remaining space. Fortunately, for those who desire
the traditional biblical pitorial scene, there are a few modern artists
who can paint "flesh" in the same style and manner as those
great European and American artists of a century ago. Other options
available to stained glass committees |
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