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| Our Typical View of Stained Glass Windows |
The stained glass windows of the York Minster Cathedral in York, England are the oldest medieval windows in the world. Normally we have to admire them–contemplate the lessons they were intended to teach the mostly illiterate–with craned necks from the floor of the church. The same is true of any grand European cathedral: we must admire their artistry from a distance.
What if you could get an up-close look at those windows? We were afforded that incredibly rare opportunity when we visited the York Minster: the east windows have been removed and are being completely cleaned, reconditioned, and restored. During the multi-year process, some of the windows are being put on display so visitors can see them from inches away instead of the normal distance of twenty feet and more. And what you find at nose length is wonderful.
These windows tell the stories of Saint John’s visions in Revelation.
In the above panels we see Saint John in the bottom left, following the angel’s instructions to write to the seven churches of Asia about his visions. In the panel, we see all seven of the archbishops seated in their cathedras (bishop’s thrones). What’s immediately surprising is to realize that the images are not made entirely of mosaics of colored (stained) glass, but of images painted with incredibly fine details on the glass.
In the above panels, the “second angel” pours his bowl (which looks more like a vial of red liquid) into the sea and kills the fish, which float upside down in the water.
The above is a closeup image of Saint John as he sails to the island of Patmos. Something to keep in mind about these images: the artist almost certainly realized that few people would ever see the window close enough to see these details. His work, effort, and artistry are all the more impressive when you look at them this way.
We’ll continue tomorrow’s blog with more images from the Minster’s east window.
