18th & 19th century Stained Glass
William Morris & Co.
One of the most prevalent stained glassmakers of this period was William Morris & Co, though he is now highly recognised due to his pattern work, his stained glass pieces were undoubtedly some of the best work created in the nineteenth century. It can be argued that his work was the closest to the medieval methods used from the 11th century onwards.
Following the reaffirmation of the Catholic Church during the fourteen hundreds, a vast amount of stained glass was missing from religious buildings throughout Europe, leaving Cathedrals and churches alike devoid of colour and the majestic light they once possessed.
William Morris, though technically part of the movement known as Gothic Revival, felt that these artists weren't doing the technique justice, what they were creating was a more imitation of what had once been. He felt that if there was to be a revival, the methods undertaken should be authentic. This saw a return to the use of coloured glass which was stained initially rather than simply pained on to look as though stained.
Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival was a moment undertaken during the 18th and 19th centuries, artists wanted to recreate the masterpieces lost during the reaffirmation. The problem was that most knowledge into the methods of medieval creators had been lost and the new artists had to find new ways of creating similar effects. This resulted in many of the window being created using clear glass with enamel paint applied instead of coloured glass.
Although some artist achieved a nice detailed finish, the results were much less vibrant, the richness of colour was lost and paint was relied upon top provide colours. This also meant that lead lines were only used for adding structure instead of working to outline the pieces. These appear more like an oil painting than a traditional stained glass window, though they had the addition of luminosity they were nothing like their predecessors.
