Description

Immediate dispatch from Somerset. Nice book in great condition. Pages in excellent condition. No notes or highlighting. See images. Fantastic book.

About the book >.>.> By the twelfth century stained glass was being used extensively in the decoration of Gothic cathedrals. Wells Salisbury and Winchester in England Chartres and Amiens in France – as well as Notre Dame in Paris – Cologne in Germany and Toledo in Spain are just a few of the many built about this time. The use of large stained glass windows had two functions: first to enhance the actual appearance of the place of worship by allowing the light flowing through the windows to create patterns of shimmering colours thereby transforming the otherwise dull stone walls and aisles; secondly as didactic tools: depicting passages of the Bible they taught the worshippers in a visual way which would be easily remembered. Later in the twelfth century Cistercian abbeys were forced by a decree of their Order to have only clear glass in their windows. It is generally believed that this was because there was a need to make the abbeys less decorative in order that there be less distraction from serious prayer and meditation. Following this decree glass tinted to a lesser degree than previously and also cheaper to produce began to be used in other places of worship. This glass was widely used in grisaille windows the beauty of which lay in their muted delicate colours. The thirteenth century saw the introduction of medallion and rose windows this latter a circular window characterized by abstract designs as well as figures. It was during this century too that the use of lead in the pictures became less extensive and clear glass began to be painted. In the fourteenth century silver stain (silver oxide) was discovered and it was employed to tint glass from palest yellow to deepest orange. Also at about this time flashed glass began to be used: by putting one colour on another while the glass was still in a molten state a second and third streak of colour was produced in the glass. Great painting experiments were also undertaken during the fourteenth century and York Minster possesses some beautiful examples. (LL)