I love stained glass.
Lucky for me, Paris has two of the best examples of this underrated art form that I have ever seen: The windows of Sainte Chappelle and Notre Dame. We visited both in the past week and I was struck not only by the size, but by the vibrant colors and intricate patterns of the glasswork.
Some quick glass facts:
- Though a common legend credits the Phoenicians with the discovery of glass, archeologic evidence suggests that the earliest glass was probably a Mesopotamian or Egyptian innovation. The earliest known manmade glass are Egyptian beads from between 2750 and 2525 BCE.
- One of the oldest known examples of multiple pieces of colored glass in one window was found at St. Paul’s Monastery which was founded in 686 AD.
- The usage of colored glass to make designs and geometric patterns is believed to have multiple origins including Roman, Egyptian and Persian.
Sainte Chapelle was commissioned for King Louis IX and was consecrated 1248. There are 15 windows, each 15 meters high which 1,113 scenes from the bible beginning with the book of Genesis and working its way from left to right, ending with King Louis IX himself relocating Christ’s relics to Paris.
The windows of Sainte Chappelle have suffered some damage, especially during the French Revolution, but much of the glass is actually original. They have been heavily restored and the leading almost completely replaced.
The Rose Windows of Notre Dame is some of the most famous in the world. The north window was built in 1250, and the south 10 years later in 1260. The south window has a diameter of 12.9 meters and is comprised of eighty four panels divided between four concentric circles. Notre Dame’s website explains that the window “symbolizes the triumphant christ sitting in heaven surrounded by those who have witnessed on earth”. The window has been damaged many times and been extensively repaired, sometimes replacing entire panels with new images.
My own photographs cannot be uploaded at the moment so here are a couple images borrowed from the internet for the time being:
Sainte Chapelle: Telegraph.co.uk
Notre Dame South Rose Window: 123rf.com
*more information on stained glass restoration to come!