Stained Glass – A Brief History
Creating stained glass pieces is a great way, for those who know how, to express creativity. This beautiful art form has been used for years to create everything from majestic temple stained leaded glass windows to glass lamps used in the home. Understanding this glass art can help one to better understand how to enhance their everyday lives. The history is one that is unique and truly graceful in the way that it came to be.
The beginning of the history of stained glass is a foggy one. Most likely the first colored glass was used in jewelry, cloisonn? and mosaics. The most well known use has been in the churches across Europe. The Gothic cathedrals of the 1100s saw a mosaic form emerge to beautify the windows. One monk commissioned many to be made into mosaic pieces because he fully believed that the beautiful glass would uplift men’s spirits and make them feel closer to God. Another thing that art glass was used for was to visually express passages from the Bible. Many people of ancient times could not read, so therefore the only way that they could understand the biblical word was through the use of pictures in the church or the spoken word of the priest. The beautiful leaded glass windows played a tremendous role in helping many learn Christianity.
While the Renaissance brought about an art revolution, the unique form of art known as stained glass was lost during this time. This is one thing that many find hard to comprehend, but it did happen. Those that knew how to stain glass became glass painters and the art was lost for over three hundred years. However, when it was rediscovered, artists including LaFarge and Tiffany took the stained glass art to a whole new level that is still found in homes today.
Stained glass is still a unique form of art that can be found in many places including museums. Tiffany’s glass lamps are priceless and many pieces of his unique form of staining glass can be found in places such as The Smithsonian and The Louvre. It is a very popular form of art that still has the ability, after all these years, to stir the hearts of men and help them feel closer to God.
By Crafts Editor
