The History Of Stained Glass Seen Through The Christmas Story

December 2010 at 2pm

Diana Lloyd

Diana Lloyd is a freelance lecturer in Ceramic, Glass and the History of Interior Decoration in Europe, North America and South America. She lectures at the Inchbald School of Design; The Design School; and for American University groups, the National Trust and Antiquities Societies. She guides groups through Museum collections and Country Houses. Diana collects Ceramics and Glass. She has a Diploma with Distinction in Fine and Decorative Arts, Inchbald School of Design.

The lecture considered the history of Stained Glass from the cathedrals of the 13th century, developed over the centuries and will include work of the Second World War artists who were inspired to fill huge windows of the great Gothic Cathedrals that had been destroyed by the war. The images of the Nativity in the 13th century are in rich red and blue glass, but painted details on the pale white and yellow glass start to dominate the designs by the 15th century.    The Renaissance focus is on perspective and the kneeling Virgin is shown with greater maternal naturalism.    The great 19th century revival offers beautiful blue glass but with the added exquisitely painted borders – a combination of the spectrum of the medieval period.  And the 20th century offers a burst of brilliant colour.

Caption: Three Wise Men: Cologne Cathedral. © Raimond Spekking Wikimedia Commons