For most people, stained glass windows are associated with the Gothic cathedrals and rays of light that pierce the colored glass pieces, which form a mosaic.
But in fact, stained glass originated in the Middle Ages and spread to Syria, Byzantium and Jerusalem. In the XIII century they appeared in Western Europe. Stained glass windows appeared because at that time people did not know technologies of production large glasses – that’s why mosaic from pieces glass and lead connectors was invented.
Roman period was a flowering of stained glass art, when the composition of glass shards become an essential element in decorating churches X – XII century (along with mosaic floors and frescoed walls).
The Gothic cathedrals, characterized by lightness and ethereality, began to displace the churches in Roman style in the 13-14 century. Vast expanses of window openings had particular importance in the architecture of the Gothic style, and therefore just as important were color (or painted) pieces of glass which were used to make up the stained glass windows. Stained glass windows created an atmosphere of spirituality and immateriality in the churches, saturating the space the play of light and colors.
The Renaissance marked the revival in many areas, but not in the stained glass art area. Stained glass windows at that time have lost their artistic expression and an organic connection with architecture, and began to look like panel paintings on glass. Nevertheless, the processes of development touched production techniques, new colors have appeared in the palette, and new images in the story. In the XV century courtly literature, widely spread in those days, became the main source of scenes for the stained glass windows. Didactic and fostering scenes, love scenes and historical images have become very common, along with landscapes and portraits.
Unfortunately, stained glass became unclaimed in the subsequent currents – fanciful baroque, elegant rococo, severe classicism and the luxurious Empire. Stained glass windows were considered “wild Gothic art”, and therefore they remained only in ancient churches.
