German Renaissance Stained Glass
Art of Light... Exhibition at London's National Gallery
The National Gallery and Victoria & Albert Museum pool their resources to show German Renaissance glass, paintings and drawings. Artists include Albrecht Dürer and Grien.
Art of Light: German Renaissance Stained Glass is one of the National Gallery's latest exhibitions running from 7 November 2007 to 17 February 2008. The exhibition is sponsored by Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and is the first of its kind to be hosted by the museum.
The purpose of the exhibition is to show that stained glass from this period was every bit as good as painting from the period, and secondly, to demonstrate how stained glass not only reflected developments in painting but also utilised light to display this art form to its best advantage.
National Gallery and Victoria & Albert Museum Pool their Resources
The National Gallery has set the finest pieces of German Renaissance stained glass from its own collection alongside the Victoria & Albert Museum's best examples. The exhibition also includes designs for stained glass and it is amazing that these fragile items have survived intact. Great care has been taken to ensure that the painted glass panels, many of which were originally located in religious buildings, have been well lit and illustrate to best advantage their vibrant colours and bold designs.
Similar Content on Wood, Canvas and Glass
The subjects that appeared on wood and canvas were produced on stained glass often painted by the same artists using similar techniques to portray their subject.
In the first part of the exhibition we see an example of stained glass showing the Annunciation to Saint Anne set beside a panel of the Trinity. The two pieces are stylistically similar. They both feature angels and thrones. But it is the colours that really hold your attention. The ruby red pattern that forms the background of the stained glass panel is mirrored on the Trinity panel. It was very common for identical subject matter, such as the Presentation of Christ in the Temple or the Virgin and Child in Glory, to appear in both window panels and paintings.
A number of drawings, prints, glass work and paintings by the 16th-century artists Albrecht Dürer, Hans Baldung Grien and Jörg Breu are also included in the exhibition. See the photograph of Dürer's The Entombment (ca. 1497-1500) below
In another part of the exhibition we see how stained glass and paintings were manufactured. Art of Light... shows the similarities and differences in techniques and how the skills of the stained glass artists were gradually becoming more akin to those of painters on wood and canvas.
The Climax - Abbey of Mariawald
The climax of the exhibition is a full-sized recreation of a magnificent stained glass window from the Abbey of Mariawald. The window shows beautiful landscapes and biblical scenes including a representation of Genesis 25:29-34 wherein Esau, desperately hungry, gives up his birthright in exchange for a meal of pottage. The window is considered by many to represent the finest work of glass painters of the early 16th century.
The National Gallery has demonstrated the importance of stained glass as an art form and has successfully drawn attention to this fascinating and colourful art of Renaissance Germany. Interestingly, the museum is also hosting an exhibition entitled: Renaissance Siena: Art for a City from 24 October 2007 to 13 January 2008. Details of all exhibitions at the National Gallery can be obtained from their website. A good source of information about the National Gallery will be found in their publication entitled The National Gallery: Complete Illustrated Catalogue by Christopher Baker and Tom Henry (eds.) et al. London: National Gallery Company. 2003.
