Gothic Stained Glass Flashcards
Gothic stained glass
- Abbot Suger started fashion for large stained glass windows
- He believed a divine mystical light shone thru
function of stained glass
- teach Bible + lives of Christian saints to illiterate
- provide spiritually uplifting experience
- Glorify Christian Church
composition + design
- designers had to consider:
- imagery to reflect ideas of patron
- colours, materials + techniques available
- scale + format of window openings
window formats
- large circular rose windows
- smaller circular medallion windows
- pointed arch windows
- geometric patterns formed by stone tracery, dividing windows into sections
use of colour
blue used throughout to create unifying effect
how stained glass related to architecture
- architectural design focused on providing framework for stained glass
- cathedrals -> taller + more openings to accommodate
- flying b supported weight of roof - allow greater areas of stained glass
stages of stained glass process
1) Glass made by melting mix of sand + woodash
2) coloured by adding powdered metal oxides (to molten glass)
3) pieces of glass laid out over design
4) pieces cut + shaped
5) fine details painted w/ dark, blackish-brown enamel paint
6) fired in kiln to fuse dark enamel to glass
7) assembled w/ strips of lead reinforced by iron frame
8) finished stained glass mounted in window opening
development of stained glass
- 12th + 13th century -> vividly coloured w/ deep rubies and blues. Stood out in dark interiors
- 14th + 15th centuries -> colours more muted due to increased daylight (larger windows)
- stone window tracery more ornate
examples of stained glass
The Blue Virgin (Chartres Cathedral)
North Rose Window (Chartres Cathedral)
The Blue Virgin - location
south side of Chartres Cathedral
The Blue Virgin - theme/subject matter
- Mary dressed in blue against 3 deep red panels
- represented as seat of wisdom, presenting her child Jesus + dates from mid 12th century
- survived fire of 1194 + inserted into early 13th century lancet or pointed arch window
The Blue Virgin - overall plan + design
- tall lancet window design
- 24 panels
- 3 panels @ bottom -> depict 3 temptations of CHrist
- next 6 tell story of Christ’s first miracle
- next 4 central panels show 4 angels upholding throne + the Virgin Mary + her son, Jesus
- 8 narrow side panels depict angels doing homage to Mary + Jesus
- central panel above Mary’s head show Holy Spirit as dove
The Blue Virgin - composition
- traditional frontal composition
- Mary seated on throne, feet resting on footstool, covered w/ rug
- head (surrounded by blue nimbus bordered w/ pearls) is surrounded by rich crown
- white veil falls in folds on either side of head
- hands rest on shoulders of her Son
- right hand raised in blessing
- in left hand: open book
The Blue Virgin - colour
- Mary dressed in bright, luminous blue garment
- innovations in Gothic stained glass included experimentation w/ colour
- blue known as Chartres Blue first used on 3 Romanesque stained glass windows of west front
- involved blue tones enhanced w/ traces of red
- contrasting colours such as red, yellow, green helped render biblical stories more vivid
- contrast effectively used in windows of nave clerestory at Chartres (portray enthroned Virgin)
The Blue Virgin - what the colours stood for
blue = heaven red = passion white = purity green = fertility yellow = presence of god
