Blog - Church Stained Glass Restoration

Beautiful Examples of Stained Glass Throughout Europe

April 27, 2019 in Church And Religious Stained Glass

Today, stained glass windows can be found across the United States, in churches, temples, and even people’s homes. But before stained glass ever became a common feature in American architecture, it found its beginnings way overseas, and grew in popularity in Europe. In fact, a set of what are believed to be the oldest stained glass windows existing today are from an old English monastery called Jarrow.

From these humble beginnings, stained glass blossomed as an art form and soon became commonplace. Today, stained glass windows can be found in numerous historic churches in Europe, many of which are considered to be masterpieces. Below, we’ve described a few of our favorite stained glass windows in Europe churches and buildings.

Five Gorgeous Stained Glass Churches to Add To Your Travel Bucket List

April 16, 2019 in Aggrigate, Church And Religious Stained Glass

Churches have always used stained glass throughout history in an effort to teach the illiterate about the Bible. This tradition has lead to some of the most impressive historical stained glass pieces that truly are pieces of art. For art lovers and stained glass enthusiasts alike, traveling around the world to see these features in person can definitely be tempting. Our top five gorgeous stained glass churches on our bucket list should definitely be considered for your travel bucket list.

Inspiring Religious Stained Glass from Around the World

Sainte-Chapelle in Paris has 15 Gothic-style stained glass windows that are each about 50 feet in height. 1113 individual stained glass panels make up these 15 windows offering intricate detail work, each depicting a different scene from the New and Old Testaments. King’s College Chapel located in the University of Cambridge has incredible narrative stained glass windows. With religious and royal motifs, these stained glass windows deliver an inspiring look for the advancements of England’s Gothic art movement. The Nasir al-Mulk Mosque, also known as the Pink Mosque, located in Shiraz, Iran is one of our favorites– with beautiful, symmetric stained glass throughout its facades, the brilliant colors are truly breathtaking. The vivid colors enhance the interior’s rose-colored tiles and Persian carpets. La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona has multicolor stained glass windows that range in rainbows and grand aesthetics. The Thanks-Giving Square is a non-denominal church that features a beautiful seashell shaped stained glass window filled with vibrant colors.

Preserving Your Church’s Stained Glass Windows

Church Stained Glass Restoration is honored to deliver our renowned restoration process for properly preserving your church’s stained glass windows. Our vision is to protect these works of art so that future generations can appreciate them as well.

For more information regarding religious stained glass restoration for your church, please contact us!

The History Of Stained Glass In The United States

April 10, 2019 in Aggrigate, Church And Religious Stained Glass

The Beginnings Of Stained Glass In The US

The US was relatively late to the stained glass game–given that settlers from Europe got here in the 1600s and stained was “invented” somewhere around 1000 AD. However, this artform permeates the American church culture and is a prominent feature on many homes to this day.

The Beginning Of Stained Glass In The US

The first stained glass production was actually set up almost immediately in Jamestown shortly after settlement in 1607. The reason for this? Wood in England was running out. And in order to make stained glass windows like those in churches all across Europe, incredibly hot furnaces fueled by wood were. Here in the Americas, there was plenty of wood, therefore, stained glass manufacturing made good sense as new world trade. Many workshops were built, one of which was set up by Jan Smeedes, in 1679, in Lower Manhattan where made roundels. Another was William Gibson, who was labeled the “Father of Painted Glass.”

However, the Puritans rejected the religious imagery of the Churches of England, so almost no glass is left from the colonial times –as much more was exported than created for churches here in the US. In fact, less than 1% of the Nation’s stained and leaded glass predates 1700.

However, the 1700s is what is called the golden age of stained glass in Europe and by the early 1800s an intense interest in the craft arose again in and production began to increase steadily throughout the century. The most significant early stained glass piece in America was by John and William Jay Bolton between 1843 and 1848, called St. Ann and the Holy Trinity.

The Age of Stained Glass In The US

The 19th and 20th century gave rise to the incredible breadth of stained glass we see on churches and homes across the country, with notable contributions by

Louis Comfort Tiffany: Known for his designs of richly colored works of glass in the art nouveau style and also a type of iridescent glass called Favrile.

Frank Lloyd Wright: A pioneer of geometric representations of natural motifs and use of angled glass.

While the “great age of stained glass” has ended, there are still many, many remaining stained glass windows remain all over the country today. It is this rich history of stained glass in the US that we here at Church Stained Glass Restoration work to preserve everyday. If you have a vintage stained glass window in your church that you would like us to inspect for restoration, reach out to us today to schedule a consultation.