Stained Glass

John La Farge

ca. 1881–82 · Leaded opalescent glass · The American Wing

This panel typifies the stained-glass technique developed by La Farge during the early 1880s. The original owner of the work, Royal Cortissoz, was the artist's principal biographer. It is not known how he obtained the window, but he presumably got it directly from La Farge. A watercolor study (Private Collection) reveals that this would have served as the central panel of a much larger window. Surrounding and holding up the Celtic Cross in the design is an elaborate tracery of vines derived from the kind of arabesque patterns found in Persian carpets or Islamic screens.

Artist

John La Farge

Date

ca. 1881–82

Medium

Leaded opalescent glass

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Gift of Royal Cortissoz, 1921