Stained Glass

Stained glass windows from the Gothic period were an important part of Christendom.  Thanks to innovations in construction that were introduced in the Gothic period, such as flying buttresses, large sections of church walls could be dedicated to house windows, since the walls were no longer the only means of load bearing.  The Church and the artists used to create the stained glass windows took this as an opportunity to create story windows, which depicted religious scenes.  French theologian Jean de Garson is credited with the saying that the windows could be used to show "simple people unfamiliar with the Scriptures what they should believe". 

One of the most famous displays of stained glass is in the Chartres cathedral.  It has 176 panels of stained glass, of which about 152 are believed to be originals.  These stained glass windows at Chartres not only depict religious scenes such as the Passions of the Christ and the Virgin Mary, but also have panels dedicated to the various guilds and merchants that contributed to the building of Charters.  They could be considered among the first classified ads, as they advertised the wealth and success of the patrons.

The image here is a photo of a stained glass window known as The Blue Virgin in Chartres.  It depicts the Virgin Mary, with Jesus sitting in her lap.  As the Chartres cathedral was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, it is not surprising to see her pictured as being almost dominant over Jesus, as he is almost childlike in her lap.  They are surrounded by angels, and a dove representing peace.  The eye is naturally drawn upwards, towards the Kingdom of Heaven that is at the top of the panel.  This is an excellent example of a stained glass window that may have inspired the poet George Herbert to write

A man who looks on glass,
On it may stay his eye,
Or if he pleaseth through it pass,
And then the heavens espy.

The next image is what is called a Rose window.  The circular pattern carried two symbolism's, the sun, which was used to represent Christ, and a rose, which was a representation of the Virgin Mary.  Here we can how the artists uses lead to not only strengthen the window, but also creates a geometric pattern which again suggests a rose.  This time our eye is drawn to the center of the window, which again has the Virgin Mary with Christ sitting in her lap.

While I have not seen the Chartres windows in person, I have observed other cathedrals with their stained glass windows.  Their very nature encourages you to reflect and meditate upon their meaning, as outside light is softly diffused through the tinted window.  They can certainly invoke a somber mode, which many may find conducive to worship.

Stained glass windows are still used to decorate churches today.  They are still a way to dedicate scenes to benefactors of the work, and are still used to remind us of significant biblical or religious events.  The following picture is a top-down view of The Last Supper, created in 1984 for the Durham Cathedral.  While the style has changed slightly to allow for less prominent use of lead as part of the window, the premise is the same, a religious scene depicted in a window that allows diffused natural light.

Whether we are religious in nature or not, all can still appreciate the care and skill required in the creation of the stained glass window art form.