Medieval Stained Glass

Lost Sixth Century Fragments from Ravenna—LINK FIXED AGAIN 2nd December, 2005

Pure text page with some references to early examples, including three glass fragments showing Christ with a cruciform nimbus standing between an alpha and omega painted with grisaille, which are "assumed" to date from roughly 540 when S Vitale was built.

A Lost "Merovingian" Window

- No images on this site, which is in French, but a nugget of "info": Le plus ancien vitrail occidental a été découvert en 1878 dans le cimetière de Séry-les-Mézières, dans l'Aisne. Il remontait à l'époque mérovingienne. Malheureusement cette vénérable relique a été détruite en 1918, en même temps que le Musée de Saint-Quentin qui l'abritait. —The oldest western [stained glass] window was discovered in 1878 in the cemetery of Séry-les-Mézières (Aisne, France). It dated from the Merovingian period [i.e. 6th to 8th century]. Tragically, this precious relic was destroyed in 1918 along with the Museum of Saint-Quentin, which owned it. —Well, there's some argument about that. The pieces might have been Carolingian (9th century), and the "window" was put together at the time by Edmond Socard.

Jarrow Window

- Here is another "earliest known" figurative stained glass window. From Jarrow, Northumbria (UK), it dates to 7th century but was found in pieces, and the restoration is largely fanciful. Still ... good to see it. It's the top illustration showing a figure in blue. Below it is a charming and much later Virgin Lactans (from Gloucester if memory serves).

Another Jarrow Window

- This link shows you that 7th century church in Jarrow, and has a link to another, circular Saxon window (click on "one of those windows") - sadly, this one is even more fancifully reconstructed than the one above, but exciting nonetheless.

The Lorsch Christ

- This is also said to be the earliest surviving figurative stained glass in the west—this time with some justification. No assumptions or fanciful reconstructions here. Unlike the Jarrow examples, it has black enamel paint that leaves us in no doubt about what it is. Variously dated from late 10th to 11th century.

The Wissembourg Christ

- This window dates to c.1060 (or earlier), and is a rare early piece. Note the restriction to pot-metal glass and black enamel paint only. Note also the rather odd proportions of the face. This is not bad art, it is a highly intellectual signal of the perfection of Christ! How many geometric forms can you find in that face?

Daniel, Augsburg Cathedral

- Peter Evans' photo of one of the five surviving prophet windows at Augsburg (click on the top left photo, when the page comes up). These are variously dated from c.1000 AD to mid 12th century (c.1150). Note pure pot-metal glass and black enamel paint only. And here are two more prophets, in less clear images, sadly.

Virgin and Child, Vendôme

- this window dates to c.1125. Note the elongated forms and the multiple close lines in the drapery (click to enlarge the image to see the lines). These are very similar to the forms of Gislebertus' sculpture at Autun, France (c.1130), which will appear next to the Virgin in the frame. Interesting here, also, the highlights have been produced by scratching away some of the black enamel. You can see this technique more clearly on an early twelfth century piece from Tours. Click to enlarge the picture to see the scratch-out clearly.

Stained Glass at St Denis - This nice site shows six full windows from the ambulatory, and some details. All date to c.1140, and Abbot Suger of St Denis (portrait, right) wrote about them in detail. The site gives you his comments. You can enlarge the full windows. Don't wait for them to load, but scroll down for the reconstruction diagrams with their enlargements. Note that almost all the red streaked glass is modern. Click also on the links to full screen size. Or click on the "archive" link for good enlarged images. - here is a link to a gorgeous enlargement of the detail on the right. And here is a rather nice one that has found its way into the Glencairn Museum, Pennsylvania.

Stained Glass at Chartres Cathedral

- a page full of smallish pics that take a while to load. But each one links to a larger version. If you don't want to wait for them all to load, you might like to know that the famous window of "Nôtre Dame de la Belle Verrière" (Our Lady of the Beautiful Glass, c.1170) is shown in the sixth row. The first image is the whole window, and the second is the Virgin only - both give a good sense of the colours.

The Beckett Windows, Canterbury, UK

- at 1215-50, these are some of the earliest surviving English stained glass because most earlier stuff was destroyed by Cromwell.

Stained Glass at Chartres

- this is the official Chartres site with a very nice design. Click on any link labelled "Vitraux", and then on the link at the bottom of the page. The images are a bit small but they should complete the collection begun with the link above.

Stained Glass at Bourges Cathedral

- a page of thumbnails - don't wait for them to load, but click on them for the blow-ups. Especially good ones on the second row (4th image), and in the third row (2nd image). This glass dates to c.1210-1215.

Stained Glass at Bourges and Chartres

- "le site Philetus" has really tremendous photos and speedy loading page, and promises to upload more soon. With thanks to Henri de Feraudy for the recommendation (check out his photography in the Romanesque and Gothic sections of the Art History Browser).

The Windows of La Sainte Chapelle, Paris

- the royal chapel of the Kings of France, the Sainte Chapelle went up very quickly, 1243-48. These are not good images of the windows, but give a clear idea of the very French red-blue curtain of glass that surrounds you in the chapel. Unusually, the chapel is like a truncated "east end". Note that there is a lower chapel, not illustrated here, which contains the "nave arcade". The windows are in the upper chapel, which was reserved for royalty only and held the srine of the relics of the Passion of Christ. The upper chapel consists of triforium and clearstory - i.e. heaven!

Thirteenth and Fourteenth Century Stained Glass from Esslingen, Germany

- a little slow, but well worth the wait. Seven pages of expandable pictures. Note the typical Medieval German colours, with the emphasis on secondary colours in addition to red. Contrast Chartres, above. If you can pick it out on these pics, there is also a new colour effect: silverstain made a clear local yellow or murky brown on white glass. It was often used for hair. This one is my favourite.

Cycle of the Kings, Cologne Cathedral, Germany

- rather an odd, blurry image, but it is the only example I have found of those large white architectural canopies that became popular in the fourteenth century. Typical German colour range, but note the unusual shapes of the pieces and the deeply mottled amber glass. Interesting.

The Stigmatization of St Francis

- an early 14th century window by Taddeo Gaddi, an Italian artist better known for his frescoes. Very nice pic from the Web Gallery of Art, and it is SO DIFFICULT to find images of Italian glass because it is so unlike European glass that people think it is no good. You decide!

The Virgin Annunciate, from Hadzor, Worcestershire, UK

- expandable to excellent large images of an English window, c.1340. Here, the silverstain is much clearer - look at the Virgin's brown hair. Thanks to the Ely Stained Glass Museum. —LINK FIXED 2nd December, 2005

Virgin and Child, Evreux Cathedral, France

- now here at LAST is a decent illustration of silver stain! This window dates to 1340. Nice pic.

Marienkirche Windows

- better and better, among these 14th century German windows at the Hermitage are some that mix silver stain with etched flashed glass - notice how this allows colour changes without thick black leading in the Samson and Baptism of Christ windows.

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