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Stained glass is one of the most breathtaking forms of art that exists today, exquisitely unique within each piece of its work. Its ancient history is that of a rather mysterious creation which developed over the years, with profound changes in both religious and political beliefs impacting not only its development but also its survival. The art of stained glass had its earliest visual forms within the development of substantial French and German church buildings—developed during the 10th century with predominantly Biblical and religious scenes. Even though there were earlier techniques that are now lost in history, we realized in later years that the early origins of stained glass were involved in examples of mosaics, jewelry and cloisonné.

Stained glass techniques were first constructed professionally by a 12th century monk by the name of Theophilus, during a Middle Age period and later on when stained glass art was first seen in Augsburg's St. Anne's Church in Germany and Strasbourg's Cathedral de Notre-Dame of France.  An artistic method which is the same as it was 900 years ago, Theophilus was the first to write a How-To instruction of preparing stained glass window construction in his work, "On Diverse Arts":

"…if you want to assemble simple windows, first mark out the dimensions of their length and breadth on a wooden board, then draw scroll work or anything else that pleases you, and select colors that are to be put in. Cut the glass and fit the pieces together with the grozing iron. Enclose them with lead cames..... and solder on both sides. Surround it with a wooden frame strengthened with mails and set it up in the place where you wish." (A History of Stained Glass)

STAINED GLASS IN THE EARLY DAYS

Early glass is considered one of the most ancient of mankind's material, first appearing in the Mesopotamian region around 4,500 B.C. with Egyptian dated glass objects going back as far as 3,000 B.C. Stained glass made its debut with the addition of metallic salts and oxides, which were known to form various colors that allowed each individual piece of glass to capture a specific section—forming a spectrum of white light. The early medieval artists of stained glass works seemed to be less interested in natural or realistic images than in working up ideas and illustration, having a lot to do with the fact they preferred to experience something than simply read it. A lot of this had to do with the sacredness of God's dwelling places.

Colors in these early days were a lot different than what is used today, uses against crude and unsophisticated paint work. Today we make attempts to control lights' transmission whereas in the medieval periods dark brown enamel paint called Grisaille was matted to the glass surface---considered as an attempt to delineate the features of the art piece. It was not until the 1400s that ideas for the stained glass changed, considered an apex of high Gothic, to one of a paned picture than a feeling one would get when viewing the art through churches alone.  Figures became much larger and were known to fill the entire picture while also allowing more light in due to lighter and paler colors. Silver stains were found to work wonderfully for golden garments and the yellow of the figures.

Marking a 300-year period of glass artists becoming simply glass painters, stained glass during the Renaissance period with lead lines developed from being considered a necessary element into that of glass becoming heavily painted. In its entirety, the original symbolism of stained glass became lost and its innate beauty was completely forgotten as it developed into nothing but a fashionable addition to public buildings, churches and residences. A thing of the past, the beauty of stained glass was thought to be old-fashioned and slowly became a thing of the past, to be replaced by painted glass.

THE TIFFANY PERIOD

When we think of stained glass today in America, we think of the words Tiffany and LeFarge, two competing American painters who were known to experiment with glass while attempting to independently develop a glass which would possess visual effects within a wide range---but[NH1]  without painting. Their plating glass successfully developed the acquired depth and texture both men utilized in their works, even though LaFarge was the first to develop and copyright the opalescent glass in 1879.  But Tiffany's customers were considered to be extremely wealthy, such as the Vanderbilt's and Astors, who loved his constructed lampshades against the newly developed electric lighting of the period.

CHANGING LOOK OF STAINED GLASS

But after WWI the stained glass art declined, due to a revival of what was referred to as "archeological accuracy" in architecture. This called for a new gothic glass window for the many New Gothic charges with interest in the stained glass windows disappearing until the post WWII era.  Today, the contemporary church windows are similar to those of the early Gothic period, with stained glass taking on a new acceptability over the past 30 years.

Individual artists of this new era have caused a recent explosion of interest, due to new technology and a surge in hobby stained glass projects. Referred to as the new Golden Age of Painted Glass, painted glass is now in windows, Tiffany-style lampshades, beveled glass entryways, windows, or decorative panels. The circle of the painted glass popularity is now complete, coming into its own circle.  

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