Stained Glass – A Brief History

Just how long Stained Glass has been around, only who could say.  Its earliest uses were probably before recorded history.  A few historians believe it was first used as a luxury item around the first century Rome.  One could also look to the east at some of older cultures and civilizations also.  But it is widely believed that stained glass gained greater recognition as an art form around the fourth century.  This is attributed to the Christians who began to worship openly and build churches to their religion.  Another plausible time line other historians have pointed is evidence in at some ancient ruins indicate stained glass may have been used in pre-Chrisitan traditions and decorations.  Nonetheless, the spread of stain glass is directly  related to the spread or expansion of Christianity to the known world.

The Gothic Era was ushered in about the 12th century AD.  It was at this time that stained glass windows flourished in cathedrals and churches.  It began with the designs on the Saint Denis, which brought in “the light” for parishoners to see the majesty and glory of their God through glass stained windows.  Unfortunately, most of the stained glass from the St. Denis Cathedral was destroyed during the French Revolution.  Thankfully, some fragments have been preserved, and on an even greater scale entire windows have been found  – though on display in differing European locals.

The lead lines of Gothic style were supplanted with a more delicate, refined coloring and increased realism.  This was however short lived.  Although numerous pieces were created, the difficulties in expressing the details requisite to the Renaissance Era was its death, and so became a lost art.  The stained glass windows of this era could be described more like a painting on glass of which some masterpieces survive to this day.

Catholic Church and his leaning toward protestant formation of England.  (The biography of the life of King Henry VIII is a fascinating read for that time in history.  Fascinating in retrospect; dangerous and filled with intrigue at the time.) Not only were stained glass windows destroyed, but also many of the stain glass making facilities themselves were pitted and razed.

It would be simple to relegate the decline of stain glass to religious unrest of the time, but there was another factor: time.  As time can be measured in change, so with the dawning of the Baroque Era wall painting and the detailing of interiors warranted the use of Clear Glass in the buildings and architecture as fashion tastes changed  Many stained glass windows, at this time allowed to decay, and few if any new stain glass was commissioned.  Stained glass had fallen out of fashion.

As with most fashion, there was a re-emergence of stain glass art of the Gothic Style architecture in the late seventeenth century.  The Industrial Revolution and the harsh realities of such an austere thankless environment of grays and dark hues ushered in this reawakening.  Artist painted again on glass, but realized the technique of painting on metal glass in medieval time was superior.  But the technique used for making lead lines had not been used for a long time and was lost.  The artisans of 1700′s struggled to recreate the Gothic style stained glass, which wasn’t a bad thing from an evolution point of a view.  Because coupled with a stubborn reluctance to give up the newer more detailed ‘modern” depictions of scenes and figures and the inability to rediscover lead lines led to windows presenting a new design: the old architecture blended with the old and new stained glass styles.

In the nineteenth century, artisans like Tiffany and La Farge created opalescent variations of stained glass.  La Farge leaned towards architectural and window designs with a small private studio.  Tiffany tended towards a larger studio, and branched into other areas, most people have heard of the Tiffany Lamp, for example, which has become a household name.  For the good, today’s artist who work with stained glass aren’t bound to a particular style or themes, religious or otherwise.  Though much of the work today is involved in the field of  restoration, there is a market for small and large decorative touches in homes, landscapes, offices, pubic  areas like atriums, etc., and for people any and all social and economic backgrounds.  The field is constantly evolving with newer innovative  techniques to offer us a chance not only to “see the light” but dance with it also.

Some Good Work Here: