Stained glass can be thought of as a decorative adjunct to architecture or as fine art productive of a wide variety of rich and deep experiences in the beholder. Although both aspects are covered in this book, it is glass as fine art that concerns the author - from the unique wondrous beauty of the windows of Europe's great cathedrals to the much later masterpieces of Tiffany, LaFarge and today's artists. Treating the subject chronologically, he explores the chronological background to each period in order to establish the motivation of the society and the intentions of the artists who caused a particular kind of stained glass to come into being. There are enquiries into the changing meaning of colour, the influence of other contemporary arts (architecture, painting, tapestry, ceramics, illuminated manuscripts), the origin of glass and the manner in which, in early times, ideas travelled from one region to another. There are also accounts of how stained glass windows are made and descriptive analyses of the beauty of individual works. Patrick Reyntiens considers late developments in the 20th century. Among these is the rise of the studio panel of stained glass or glass emancipated from the constraints of modern architecture, of which he himself is a practitioner.

Dark Beauty focuses on the minute detail in Harry Clarke’s stained-glass windows, particularly in the borders and lower panels of his work. Clarke’s brilliance as a graphic artist is clearly visible in his book illustrations, which are imbued with precise attention to intricate designs, and he applied the same lavish focus to every facet of his stained glass. The title ‘Dark Beauty’ refers to the duality of Clarke’s work that sees delicate angels juxtaposed with macabre, grotesque figures, and represents the partially hidden details that dwell in the background of his windows – motifs, accessories, flora, fauna and diminutive characters – which may be missed in light of the dominance of the central subjects. The authors spent many years photographing Clarke’s windows in Ireland, England, America and Australia, and the resulting 60,000 photos have been carefully whittled down to 500 glorious images. Dark Beauty will provide lovers of Clarke’s stained glass with the opportunity to view previously obscured or unnoticed details in all their unique beauty and inspire their own travels to view Clarke’s work.

Strangest genius

Eight exciting scenes from the delightful story about a beautiful young girl and the grotesque creature that has won her love.

This splendid sourcebook for stained glass designs contains 88 patterns in styles ranging from medieval interlacements to Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and modern motifs. Suitable for crafters at every level of expertise, the patterns can be easily expanded for full-sized panels, mirror surrounds, and other decorative work.

You’ve admired the beauty of stained-glass objects—now make your own. Use eight skills to create various projects, such as cutting glass to make coasters, assembling a tulip stepping-stone, and crafting a pansy. Bonus: a gallery of work from well-known artisans.

An insightful corrective demonstrating the Arts and Crafts Movement's indelible impact on British and American stained glass Beautifully illustrated and based on more than three decades of research, Arts & Crafts Stained Glass is the first study of how the late-19th-century Arts and Crafts Movement transformed the aesthetics and production of stained glass in Britain and America. A progressive school of artists, committed to direct involvement both in making and designing windows, emerged in the 1880s and 1890s, reinventing stained glass as a modern, expressive art form. Using innovative materials and techniques, they rejected formulaic Gothic Revivalism while seeking authentic, creative inspiration in medieval traditions. This new approach was pioneered by Christopher Whall (1849-1924), whose charismatic teaching educated a generation of talented pupils--both men and women--who produced intensely colorful and inventive stained glass, using dramatic, lyrical, and often powerfully moving design and symbolism. Peter Cormack demonstrates how women made critical contributions to the renewal of stained glass as artists and entrepreneurs, gaining meaningful equality with their male colleagues, more fully than in any other applied art. Cormack restores stained glass to its proper status as an important field of Arts and Crafts activity, with a prominent role in the movement's polemical campaigning, its public exhibitions, and its educational program. Published for the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art