The Lord, the Light and the Lead

Title:

The Lord, the Light and the Lead: An Analysis of Religious Iconography and Symbolic Representation Presented in Stained Glass

Author: Publication Year/Date: May 2024

Kyle Tibbs

Document Version: Fine Art Hons dissertation

License: CC-BY-NC-ND

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/bync-nd/4.0/

DOI: https://doi.org/10.20933/100001303

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The Lord, the Light and the Lead : An Analysis of Religious Iconography and Symbolic Representation Presented in Stained Glass Fine Art (Hons)

Kyle Tibbs

Word Count: 7358

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree in Fine Art

Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design

University of Dundee

Abstract

This dissertation explores a mere snapshot of the expansive topic of historical and contemporary stained glass artworks created through out the ages, present in everyday society from our family homes to the great cathedrals of our cities. The Examples given will be purely based within the European continent.

Each of the chosen examples of stain glass can be considered masterpieces of their time, each with different merits. They will be introduced through a historical context before analysing in more detail some of the more fanciful aspects of the artwork with the aim to bring to light the religious, philosophical and hypothetical nature of the artworks.

The conclusion of this dissertation does not seek to convince or sway an opinion. The exploration of these artworks is demonstrate the incredible skill, knowledge and power that can be demonstrated through carefully constructed and choreographed pieces of glass.

Contents

Title Page……. Page 2

Abstract……… Page 3

Introduction……… Page 5

Chapter 1 - Classical Period……… Page 7

Chapter 2 - Victorian Era……… Page 13

Chapter 3 - Art Nouveau……… Page 15

Chapter 4 - Conclusion……… Page 21

Bibliography……… Page 22

Introduction

Light is important to almost all life. The first light receiving cells were evolved by the planaria (flatworms) who used it to navigate and hunt in the treacherous, early days of multicellular life. However, it was much later when eyes as we know them appeared when approximately 541 million years ago a snail, called a trilobite, decided to open its eyes to the light for the first time. Since then the development of the eye, married to its utile component, light, has danced a beautiful dance creating all sorts of magnificent variations in the way animals perceive, and use, the vast expanse of the known light spectrum. It was not until the advent of man that this unsophisticated relationship changed when the Gods, Zeus and Prometheus, created a being capable of harnessing the beauty of light. Ever since that fateful day light was no longer a simplistic tool used for baseline animalistic tendencies . It became a medium, used to translate the wonders of reality though science and the visual and written arts. By literally looking through the lens of our eyes, coupled with the gift of our advanced cognitive abilities, humans discovered the arts, sciences and much more.

Glass, a mysterious material, born from the super heating of individual opaque grains of sand that fuses them together into a singular solid piece of transparent material was first put to use in Ancient Egypt as small, decorative additions to larger, metallic pieces of jewellery. However, it wasn’t until the Romans got a hold of this new wondrous material that the seemingly infinite characteristics of glass were realised and then used in everyday objects such as open form cups, bowls and plates. Centuries later, the Catholic Church identified the potential of glass and cleverly used it to transmit the power and glory of God. Over its thousand odd years of existence, stain glass has predominantly been used by the Holy Catholic Church to tell the story of Christ, starting in its heart and then spreading its way through the Christian world, the windows reached their peak usage during the Gothic building period which extended from the 12th to mid 16th century.

These windows not only portrayed religious scenes to allow the transmutation of sacred ideology for the pious to connect with their god but they allowed the Holy Catholic Church to demonstrate its vast wealth and power. At that time few things would compare to the glass in terms of piety and religious zealousness. Imagine yourself as a measly, uneducated peasant spending every day toiling in the fields during the bleak European winter with its cold and soulless grey skies, being battered by the elements and worn out by continuous, strenuous manual labour with your only sanctuary from the elements being your dark and damp hovel with a thatched roof, with little or no furniture and decoration. Lit only by meagre candle light and heated by an open hearth fire. Now contrast this with your Sunday morning. Dressed in your finest clothes you walk into your local church with its fine, carved stone, its impossibly high ceilings reaching into to the heavens themselves adorned with frescoes and ornaments made from precious materials. And how was this all illuminated? By impossibly massive extents of decorative glass that not only allow the light and heat of the sun to power into the hall but also spark the imagination of the people with the clever depiction of favoured scenes from the holy text. This reverential, visual awe alone would sway the souls of many unbelievers to recognise the power of the church and possibly subconsciously forcing them to bow down in prayer at this magnificent heavenly sight, at the foot of the church and the one God it claimed to serve.

The glass used in these windows used a traditional technique and were typically stained by introducing metallic salts during the molten state. Copper oxides were used to create green/blue and green hues, cobalt for deeper blues and gold produces red and pink tones, hence, why reds and pinks are the most expensive colours of glass to buy. The glass was then cut in to the desired shapes and laid into the preplanned designs to form intricate patterns or pictures. Then, depending on the size and complexity of the glass pieces being used in the art work, one of two methods can be used to hold the individual pieces together.

The first method, which is the traditional technique, uses long strips of lead referred to as ‘cames’ which are cut to the specific length and then shaped in to the glass. As lead is a very soft and malleable metal it is easily shaped by hand. After this, the craftsman would use flux on the jointing sections of lead, traditionally the flux used was animal fat which comes in the simple form of a candle looking stick. The second methodology is using copper backed tape which is wrapped

around the perimeter of all the individual pieces of glasses, following this the pieces would be arranged into its design and flux will be used once again to join all the pieces. In the case of the copper foil technique liquid flux is used, it is not in a candle form but is a chemical mix. Both methods are finished off by soldering the metals together, however, if using lead there is a final step of finishing off which is completed with a cement coat. The cement coat is left on for various lengths of time depending on a variety of factors. The cement is used to protect the opening in between the lead and the glass from weathering and to provide an extra degree of strength to the final fragile product. However, the cement must never be left to fully dry as it will of course harden on the delicate glass and becomes difficult to remove. Typically, you would wait until it has become a thick paste and then remove any visible cement from the art work while encouraging the cement into all the nooks and crannies between lead and glass.

Now that an elementary understanding of what stain glass is has been gained, an exploration of the glory of glass can be shared.

Chapter 1 - Classical Period

THE GREAT EAST WINDOW OF YORK MINSTER - BUILT 15th CENTURY, YORK, ENGLAND

The Great East Window of York Minister (figures 1.1a and 1.1b) is the single largest spread of medieval stain glass in England. Situated in the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York. The Cathedral itself was erected in 1472, however, certain panels of glass found on the site can be dated back to the 12th century. The East Window is recognised as one of the greatest achievements of glass painting anywhere in the world. Created by John Thornton, a master glazier from Coventry, it has 311 panels of glass, extending to the length of a tennis court. It tells 4 different stories depending on which row of glass panels your eyes are attracted to. At the foot of the window there are a series of portraits showing various people who were patrons and who were connected to the history of York Minister.

The image seen in Figure 1.2 was taken from the degree writings of Laura Ware Adlington in her extensive essay Making a medieval stained glass window: An archaeometric study of technology and production (2019). Using Figure 1.2 as reference, On rows 2-11 it can be seen to tell the tale Page 7

to the Book of Revelations, or the Apocalypse Cycle. Above that in rows 13-15, there is a row of panels depicting events from the Book of Genesis. These two sections of the artwork illustrate the well known stories of man’s treasonous day of temptation which resulted in his expulsion from Garden of Paradise and his fall from grace. Along side this are the stories of the murderous Cain, and his brother Abel, the fabled Noah and his arc and extracts from Exodus to name just a few. These tell the stories of the bible in a way that the illiterate, which was the majority of the population, could understand. To complete this mammoth glasswork, John Thornton adorned the crown of the 78 foot tall display with interwoven tracery, that is ornamental stone work, with his depiction of God and his accompanying heavens, all looking down on his creation. Collectively, the 3 upper sections of the art work tell the story of: the beginning and end of all things.

Through out this master piece of glass work we find a pantheon of unique and biblical characters, adored with vivid facial expressions that aid in the telling of their stories. For instance, in panel 15h: the temptation and fall (Figure 1.3), depicting Genesis Chapter 3:1-6 you can find a somewhat sinister expression of the bringing on of the start of the biblical fall from grace; whereupon Adam is taking his first bite from the forbidden fruit of knowledge, given to him by his wife Eve, who has already indulged herself in the fruit - an act specifically forbidden by God.

"Now the serpent was more subtle than any of the beasts of the earth... And he said unto the woman: Why hath God commanded you, that you should not eat off every tree of paradise?...And the woman saw that the tree was good to eat, and fair to the eyes... And she took off the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave to her husband, who did eat.”

-Genesis 3:1-6

Adam’s facial expression holds a weary and tiresome look. The gaunt features of his prominent cheek bones accompanied by his sunken and vacant eyes foreshadowing the travesty that he has just cursed upon mankind with this betrayal of God. Alongside his darling wife, with her somewhat comical receding hairline (maybe a deliberate act by the artist to further highlight the foreshadowing of horrors to come), and her innocent round features, being willingly persuaded by the rather human like snake situated betwixt Adam and Eve in the centre of the composition. The serpent’s pointing finger and furrowed brow help express the deceitful manner in which it has coerced Eve into her act of betrayal. Mirroring the snake’s upward pointing finger towards the fruits of the tree of paradise, Eve’s hand is raised high into to the low hanging branches of the tree, coerced-idly plucking the fruits of the tree. Further, the second mirroring of Adam and Eve passing the beautiful golden orange fruit hand to hand in front of the snake perfectly illustrates the passage in the bible, so even those with little to no knowledge of Adam and Eve can grasp a basic comprehension of the story being told.

Further down, on the row below, we find our next participants in the biblical pantheon. The first sons of man - Cain and Abel. The short, yet very impressionable, story is about the sons of Adam and Eve. It is the corner stone of the narrative of Genesis and through panel 14a: we can see Cain murdering Abel (Figure 1.4). In it we find a depiction of Genesis 4:1-8 when Cain struck down his brother in cold blooded envy.

"And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and slew him.” -Gensis 4:1-8

Once again these vivd illustrations, this time of Cain and Abel, beautifully tell their story in a simplistic yet poetic way. Adorned in his blue garments (the colour blue in biblical art is often used to signify the heavenly love of truth) the knowledge of the truth from this love we see from Abel’s sombre and downcast face that he is unable to even look upon his brother in this shameful act of fratricide. However, this ‘looking away’ of Abel could also be implying that he never saw his murder coming, being as it is the first, ever murder. Abel would have been caught completely off

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sceptical reader. In the Ancient Greek language there is no word for blue, now is this not bizarre for a culture built on the back of sea fairing trade and one so deeply engrossed in the movements of celestial bodies in the sky not to have a name for the colour of the waters or the sky above it? Famously, in Homers Iliad and Odyssey he refers to the sea, throughout both the narratives, no less than seventeen times as “oînops póntos” usually translated as “wine dark” sea, and as any person with eyes can tell you a dark wine has a red or purple hue but never blue. Now, could the panel of Cain and Abel be a reminder of that once red sky? This is a whole other tangent in itself and as much as it is a fascinating topic, it will unfortunately not be discussed any further in this dissertation.

Back to the matter at hand. The startling 311 panels that make up John Thornton’s biblical narrative, truly deserves the title of a master piece, with each panel holding as much story telling, life and detail as the next. It is rightly recognised as one of the greatest pieces of stain glass work of the Medieval Gothic period in the 15th century.

SAINTE-CHAPELLE - BUILT 13TH CENTURY, PARIS, FRANCE

Built in the 13th century, the SainteChapelle is widely renowned as one of the most prestigious examples of Gothic architecture. Known as the jewel of the Rayonnant Gothic period the chapel comprises of a mesmerising 1113 windows built into 15 bays, each towering 50 foot into the proverbial heavens. Commissioned by King Louis IX, Sainte-Chapelle was to be the resting place of precious relics owned by the

French church and monarchy. Stepping into this kaleidoscopic jewel is said to be dizzying to behold. The 15 soaring bay windows, much like the Great East Window of York Minster, tells across its expanse the biblical tale with Genesis in the Northern section of the chapel wrapping round to the West with the Rose of the Apocalypse. The long genealogy of biblical narrative is seen here with characters such as Adam and Eve, Noah and Moses adorning the North side. On the South side the characters of Judith, Job and David can be found while, very humbly hung at the end of the procession of characters, is the King of France himself, nonchalantly aligning himself with these fabled characters of the biblical narrative.

The sheer volume of floor to ceiling glass in the Sainte-Chappelle is tantalising and as a result it is near impossible to follow the depictions of the biblical narrative that it boasts. However, the stain glass windows here were never meant to be read like a book. Yes, they pay homage to the biblical story but this is not their primary function. The windows are not meant to be read but to be seen. They allow the light to penetrate through his biblical tale expressed in glass and bring light of the Lord down upon those who worship him inside his hall. The whole building in a sense is a massive megaphone for the divine power and interconnections of all of God’s creations. Shining his light, through his stories onto his people. Simply sublime.

As stated above, at the West end of the gallery is the Rose of the Apocalypse (Figure 1.2.3), with a width of 9 metres this massive glass mandala with its intricately woven stone tracery, tells the tale of the Apocalypse over its 87 panels. The Rose of the Apocalypse is not the original, being refurbished in 1485 by Charles VIII. This was done as the builders of the 15th century wanted to implement their more contemporary style of glass working into the chapel. Notice the slight colour change between the rich blue and reds of the photos above and the introduction of yellows and greens, seen left, which was due to a then recent innovation on the abilities to colour glass by the use of various metal oxides.

The mandala itself, has the figure head of Christ at its centre potentially symbolising that through the apocalypse one will always find his way back to Christ. The four panels are taken up by the four horsemen of the apocalypse, who are said to bring forth the cataclysm of the apocalypse. The first horsemen, dauntingly, is thought to represent Christ, or the Antichrist, a conqueror with a bow and crown upon a white horse; the second the horseman of war rides a red horse brandishing a great sword; third comes famine carrying a set a scales, upon a horse of black; and finally a rider upon a pale horse is identified as death.

The image in Figure 1.2.4 displays the fourth horseman of the apocalypse, death. He is depicted riding out of a dragon’s mouth. As the four horsemen of the apocalypse are in the book of Revelations we know this horseman to be Satan, and not Leviathan of the Old Testament. Also he

is carrying a spear and brandishing 4 dragons above his head. The detail in the small glass pane is startling and is just one of thousands that expand over the whole church. The craftsmanship and thought that has gone into every single piece of this expanse of glass almost seems like a fruitless endeavour as the majority of the glass is out of focal distant for the human eye. Ironically, it is only on closer inspection that the fruits of the craftsman’s labour can be sumptuously enjoyed. The exquisite painting style of the artisans is featured throughout the Chapelle and truly brings to life the biblical narrative.

Here again in Figure 1.2.5 we see the rose, closer focused on the heart of the mandala in this image, the full spectrum of the workmanship can be seen. Looking into the smaller sections of the tracery the royal emblem of the fleur-de-lis can be seen (found at 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 o’clock around the centre imagine of Christ) interwoven into the biblical story, once again tying the blood line of the French Royal Family to God. This act is simple yet intelligent visual propaganda to further solidify their claims over the land.

The delicate and detailed work suspended high above the pious man in his hall of prayer, massively unseen or fully appreciated, but illuminating his prayers nonetheless, shows the vast respect and devotion these people had towards their Lord above. Not wanting to slander his name with poor craftsmanship on work out of reach of appreciation, it is a mentality that has been greatly lost in modern art and architecture and today’s society as a whole. Replacing true works of beauty with its fine calculations put into even the most minute details, with the quick, nonsensical and frankly ugly take on art in the modern world is a great loss at our expense as we readily accept mediocracy in the pursuit of profits and liberal tendencies. It is heartbreaking to think that it is unlikely we will ever witness the creation of anything similar to the great stained glass panels in Sainte-Chappelle.

Chapter 2 - Victorian Era

THE GOTHIC REVIVAL

A boom in availability of stain glass can be traced back to the second half of the 18th century with a period referred to as the Gothic Revival. However, the revival of the gothic style wasn’t truly brought into motion until the end of the Napoleonic War (1815), when the state mindset throughout Europe was uneasy and civil unrest seemed likely. To counteract this unrest, and to sooth the minds of the ruling class, many sought answers in the Church. The Church itself had started to dwindle in power due to its failure to adapt to this new industrial Europe. So, to combat this growing unrest, the Church of England began commissioning the building of churches in the old gothic style and even allowed the commissioning of churches by the Roman Catholics, a massive deal for the Protestant ran sect of the Church of England. In the resurrection of old churches and the erection of new churches came the return of the use of stained glass, “gone were the plain whitewashed walls and clear windows; back came the colour and mystery enhanced by the reintroduction of stain glass’ writes Trevor Yorke in Victorian Stained Glass (2022). This push for power by the Church brought about the rediscovery of techniques lost to the ages and the flourishing of the lost art from of stained glass.

The peak of the Gothic Revival was around the 1860 mark which saw small local artisans practicing their trade and turning their modest studios into full scale enterprises producing glass on an industrial scale. For instance in the construction of the Crystal Palace in London in 1851 where the company The Chance Brothers produced a whopping 60,000 panels of plate glass for in this one off cast iron structure.

In Figure 2.0 is a collection of stain glass panels produced for the Peterborough Cathedral, England. The glass work was done by the Morris and Co company. William Morris was deeply inspired by the medieval past in his work, famously quoting “Let us study it, be taught by it, kindled by it; all while determining not to imitate or repeat it’ (Morris. Victorian Stained Glass(2022): page 31). Morris ,being swayed by the options of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, was encouraged to step away from classical art and create an atmosphere of romance in his art. The style of Morris and Co’s glasswork was that of simplicity of colour yet vivid in expression through lines. The art work itself has a cartoon like character, easy to follow and yet hard to not be drawn too. The bright and vivid colours puncture the spectators field of vision capturing their imagination and solidifying the power the church was seeking to regain.

GLASS FOR THE MASSES

To say stained glass was used merely as a device of the Catholic Church to inspire, or enslave, the masses is an opinion which sways depending on who you ask, however, to believe this notion would be folly. As the industrial revolution kicked into gear the availability, and more importantly Page 13

Figure 2.0

the financial pleasures, of many things restricted to church and aristocracy became available to the common man. With this came the public usage of stain glass. When walking down the streets and boulevards of any European settlement you can easily find stain glass. The Victorian era brought about an explosion of use of stain glass, utilised to decorate the common place. It was in this era that the white collar family or business owner began to use the practice of stain glass to display either own tastes or promote their business in a new fashionable and eye catching way. In commercial businesses, theatres, banks and public houses along with the railway network who utilised the glass to decorate their entrances, often brandishing the company name, in the glittering glass. An example of this decorative glass can be seen in Figure 2.1 taken of one of the 2 stain glass windows of the Phoenix Pub in the Nethergate, which opened over 150 years ago in Dundee, Scotland. In this image it is seen that the usage of glass is still practiced today in 21st century, the pub has used the glass to promote the name of the pub by depicting the Phoenix the pub shares a name with (this window is refurbishment of the original Victorian panel that stood in its place before)

As Trevor Yorke plainly puts in his book Victorian Stain Glass (2022) “Such was the popularity of glass that it worked its way into the modest middle-class suburban home”, this was often done in the Tudor period in the 16th century by the upper-class displaying their family coat of arms in larger windows. However, during the Victorian era, with the explosion of the middle class it became almost common practice. Used in sash windows and in glazed front doors, the function of this glass was not only to add a fashionable accessory to their home but as Trevor Yorke writes in his book “They also kept the household out of sight of prying eyes, an important consideration to Victorian families”. In Figure 2.2 we can see an example of a traditional Victorian door. Glass of the Victorian era took a step in a new, and expressive, direction more often using nature as reference. The artisan would break his reference down into its most simplistic geometrical version (seen in the large centre panel of Figure 2.2 is a flower broken down in such a fashion). However, more often than not, the design would fully comprise of pure, geometric forms often dancing around a centre piece referred to as a bulls eye or bulletin. There are 9 examples of these bulletins in Figure 2.2. This new epoch in stain glass allowed the common man to find his place in the previously closed door, elitist society of patrons of the arts.

The Victorian Era initiated the resurrection of a neglected art form that was to be refined at the hands of the craftsmen of the 19th century, who rediscovered the tantalising effects that glass could produce and gifting it to the public. This shift in usage of class allowed for the next era of stain glass to blossom into the what could be considered the height of stain glass production, both in the techniques used and the artistic vision, a period like none other had been put into motion.

Chapter 3 - Art Nouveau

Art Nouveau (1890-1914) and stain glass work together romantically, the vivid and daring colours along side the intricate pattern work sing harmoniously together that even the Olympian God of Light, Apollo, would shed a tear. The works of the Art Nouveau artists, such as Antoni Rigalt and Alphonse Much - who played pivotal role in the establishment of the movement - might just be the pinnacle of modern stain glass work today. The movement itself was a late 19th, early 20th century attempt to marry decorative art with practical design and in doing so opened the door to a whole new way for artists to express their ideas through the medium of glass. The examples presented below demonstrate this beauty.

PALAU DE LA MÚSICA CATALANA – BUILT 1905–1908, BARCELONA, SPAIN

Stepping into the more contemporary world of stain glass we find a truly awe-inspiring piece of glass work in the Palau de la Musica found in the city of Barcelona. A modern gem. The building itself was designed by the modernist architect Lluís Domènech I Montaner, however, the highlight of the building is the grand centre piece of the musical hall, the stained glass skylight (Figure 3.1.1) designed by Antoni Rigalt. This skylight, designed in the contemporary style of Art Nouveau, is like no other. The design itself is an abstract representation of the sun above and the tranquil blues emanating from the centre point is the ever blue Spanish sky found high above the music hall. The Palau de la Musica is the only concert hall in Europe to be lit by natural daylight.

Named a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1997, the massive abstraction of the sun above sits directly over the heads of the spectators, around 2,200 that the concert hall can hold. One can imagine sitting under it on a hot Catalonian summer’s day, the heat of the outside sun being symbolically transferred through the yellow and blue kaleidoscope of glass that brings the warmth of natural light into the hall below. The stain glass window, metaphorically and symbolically, brings the outdoor sun inside. To further emphasise this idea the craftsmen, alongside Antoni Rigalt and Lluís Domènech I Montaner, took on the daunting task of having an inverted dome protruding from the heart of the sun (Figure 3.1.2). This gives the impression that sun is piercing through the glass. Amazingly, this feature of the skylight is not only a wonder to behold but also aids in the acoustics of the room. We can see how the bright and vibrant the yellows and oranges are that make up the sun section of the design. They are predominately made out of closely nestled

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Figure 3.1.1

together circles, these circles mirror the larger circle of the sun itself then the concentric circles emanating out of that through out the design creating geometric harmony between the whole and its parts.

Once again we can find similarities between the stained glass works of art and that of the mandala. A mandala, derived from the Sanskrit word meaning "circle," is a form of art utilised in various cultures, including India, China, Tibet, and Eastern religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Shiuno. It has also found its place in Western contexts, intertwining with monotheistic religions like Islam and Christianity. Despite its diverse manifestations, the mandala consistently serves a singular purpose — to visually represent the divine and act as a meditative or prayerful guide.This symbolic creation fosters a cathartic release and establishes a focal point of unity for those who engage with it. The mandala serves as a journey, visually guiding practitioners from the intricate complexities of the external world towards the serene centre, where the illuminating essence resides, influencing the entire mandala's dance. A fundamental aspect of the mandala is its acknowledgment that there exist multiple truths, allowing for endless inctive expression of truth while always drawn back towards the centre. The same experience of returning to the centre is the key experience when one looks up at the stain glass sun of the Palau de la Musica, one’s eye can wander, curiously exploring the outer design of the glass mandala but is always drawn back to its the heart at the centre.

The stain glass ceiling of the Palau de la Musica is very similar to the Hindu mandala called the Charvaka (Figure 3.1.3), this mandala is rooted in the belief that the supernatural is nonexistent, placing a strong emphasis on materialism. It highlights the sole reality discernible by the senses, anchored in the four elemental forces of earth, air, wind, and fire. At its core lies the substantial singularity of earth, symbolised by white marble. As the concentric rings radiate outward, they progressively ascend, representing the specific arrangement of water, fire, and ultimately air, characterised by a considerable separation between its particles. This artwork poetically captures the interconnected relationship among the earthly elements and their connection to the central singularity. There is no evidence that either Antoni Rigalt or Lluís Domènech I Montaner had any prior knowledge of the Charvaka mandala, however, there is a lovely mirroring of the two designs which might be due to a subconscious well of inspiration tapped by both the designers of the skylight and the channellers of the mandala, giving to the idea that there is nothing new under the sun.

Returning to the visual meditation of the skylight, when the eye does find itself exploring the outer regions of the skylight it will happen upon something curious in the rich blues of the sky behind the sun. Peering from behind the sun we find portraits (Figure 3.1.4), but portraits of whom? Are they angels from above, looking down upon the heavenly music played below or a choir of women? A combination of both seems likely. The heavenly choir dancing around the sun above is almost audible when looking upon them, the cliche “aaahhhhhhhhh” of the choir accompanying Page 16

Figure 3.1.3

ST. VITUS CATHEDRAL

- BUILT 1931, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC

The movement of Art Nouveau which is usually dated between 1980 through to 1914 didn’t cease to exist, the movement had a couple encores to preform one of such being the the window in the St Vitus Cathedral, in Prague. It is a window like no other (Figure 3.2.1). The window was constructed as apart of the Millennium Jubilee of the Czech patron saint St.Wenceslas. The window can be found in the North nave of the Cathedral. The window tells the tale, in episodes, of how St. Wenceslas brought the gift of Christianity to the Slavs and spread it through their people. The artist Alphonse Mucha has beautifully entangled his trademark Art Nouveau style in the glass panels, it is truly a spectacle to behold. The glass work is an explosion of warm, healing light tones in the upper and central panels that harmoniously contrast with the deep rich dark tones of the outer and lower panels. This effect radiates outward from the artwork, as St. Wenceslas takes centre stage seated in the composition along side his grandmother St. Ludmila. It can be taken that this radiating quality is a deliberate visual metaphor for the warmth that St.Vitus brought to the Slavic world upon bringing Christianity to it. Page 18

In figure 3.2.2, we can see the coffin of St Wenceslas after his spiteful assassination by his younger brother, mirroring the story of Cain and Abel that was spoken upon previously. The immense painterly skill that Mucha has put onto this stain glass piece is clear and is not the typical style of painting normally associated with stain glass. It is painted in a way more akin to that of the Renaissance painters. The sorrowful faces of the coffin bearers in the foreground are masterfully composed. The downward vacant stares tell the story by themselves. The drawn hoods alongside the soft blue tones of the front figure’s beard, together make one almost feel the sorrow these men are feeling. One feels part of this march to lay a man, a mentor, a friend in his early grave. The art work is given a sense of depth and height by the lone figure in the background painted in darker tones, almost falling into the deep blue of the sky behind, allowing the illuminated foreground figures, predominately in yellow, to take centre stage in this episode. The deep blues and the act of the hoods being drawn give the impression that the weather mirrors the sombre occasion. The man in the background has his head drawn to the sky in prayer, giving the narrative in the artwork its connection to the Lord above. This single episode in the narrative of St. Wenceslas is a master piece on its own.

But it is just one of the 12 masterpieces in glass brought to life by Alphonse Mucha in the window at the St Vitus Cathedral. In figure 3.2.3 we find a series of panels that are more in line with Muchas famous Art Nouveau style, whom the panels are depictions of is information that could not be uncovered via extensive research. None the less, the artist’s ability to capture such an angelic atmosphere in the 2 figures is exceptional. Utilising the same phthalo tones that can be found in the bread of the old man in figure 3.2.2, and throughout many of the other panels, Page 19

creates a harmony throughout the artwork. The light phthalo blue itself has a very etherical feel about it giving to the idea that the women themselves are highly spiritual individuals. The use of the phthalo blue to suggest connection to the Devine can also be found in the panel where the depiction of the death of St Wensceslas can be witnessed (Figure 3.2.4). Here it is seen that the garments of the saint are painted in the blue tone and even the face of St. Wenceslas has taken on a blueish tinge, showing in life he lived close to God (via the garments) and that in his death he has passed into the etherical realm (via his visage).

Now returning to the composition in figure 3.2.3, this notion of the proximity to the Devine is further emphasised through the utilisation of the circles in the decorative arch in the background of the piece, and more importantly, the circle held by the figure on the left (circle to be found on the right panel). As Allison Protas writes in the Dictionary of Symbolism (1997) “The circle is a universal symbol with extensive meaning. It represents the notions of totality, wholeness, original perfection, the Self, the infinite, eternity, timelessness, all cyclic movement, God ('God is a circle whose centre is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere' (Hermes Trismegistus))”. Knowing this it can be undeniable that these woman are acting as the hand of God in whatever capacity that may be. Along with this circle, there is another green circle hidden behind the figure on the left. This circle matches the green tones of the garland of leafs wrapped round the figure’s head. Does this combination of circle and garland suggest her close connections with nature? Along side these circles, on adjacent sides of the decorative arch we find two inward arching spirals. In the teachings of the occult, the spiral is a shape riddled with symbolism, it is the journey and evolution to the centre of consciences where higher levels of understanding and the interconnectedness of all things can be found. It, much like the circle, has connotations of birth, death and rebirth - the cyclical nature of existence. Once again showing how the artist uses symbolism in their work.

The art work in St. Vitus’ Cathedral is at the cross road between Art Nouveau and the art works of the Renaissance, it harbours artistic heritage and also creative integrity to the style that Mucha is so famously recognised for. It is an explosion of psychedelic colour, mapped with rich symbolism to tell the tale of St. Wenceslas in character narrative and suggestive iconology. For these reasons it is undeniably a modern masterpiece in glass.

Figure 3.2.4

Chapter 4 - Conclusion

The purpose throughout this dissertation was to explore the beautiful pieces of stain glass artworks that can be found throughout the world. This exploration has been deliberately narrowed down with a singular focus on Christian and European art. However, don’t be mistaken to think that stained glass was only used on the European continent and no further. The practice of stained glass has been widely used across the Islamic world, where the depiction of idols is seen as ‘haram’ so in place of idols the people of Islam have used the practice of stain glass to create awe inspiring geometric kaleidoscopes while in the Orient stained glass is primarily used by artists depicting traditional idyllic landscapes beautifully merging concepts of Western and Eastern art. In both cases the use of glass is relatively contemporary and therefore holds none of the historic value of the stain glass of Europe.

The aim in sharing this collection of stained glass works is to revitalise the mind of the reader and to continue the passage of new and old ideas that have been portrayed in the symbolism representing throughout along side this introducing the somewhat more hypothetical notions that can be associated with them. The glass works themselves can be considered art, whether by an artist or craftsman, despite their initial purpose. They are objects of beauty, but as always the difference between a simple piece of art and a masterpiece can be subtle. It is not only the skilful handling of one’s practice but, to have an ability to successfully transfer one’s thoughts, ideology and emotions into an expressive, legible assortment of symbolism and iconography.

Finally, with gratitude, thank you for reading.

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