Windows for the World - (Studies in Design and Material Culture) by Jasmine Allen (Paperback)

About the Book

This study focuses on the significance of the displays of stained glass at several international exhibitions held in Britain, France, the USA and Australia between 1851 and 1900. It provides new perspectives for the study of nineteenth-century stained glass, within these temporary secular exhibition contexts.

Book Synopsis

Windows for the world explores the display and reception of nineteenth-century British stained glass in a secular exhibition context. International in scope, the book focuses on the global development of stained glass in this period as showcased at, and influenced by, these exhibitions. It recognises those who made and exhibited stained glass and demonstrates the long-lasting impact of the classification and modes of display at these events. A number of exhibits are illustrated in colour and are analysed in relation to stylistic developments, techniques and material innovations, as well as the broader iconographies of nation and empire in the nineteenth century.

From the Back Cover

Windows for the world examines the display and reception of nineteenth-century stained glass in an international and secular context, through ten exhibitions held in Britain, France, the USA and Australia between 1851 and 1900. It is the first study to explore the global development of stained glass as showcased at and influenced by these events.

Drawing on hundreds of contemporary written and visual sources, the book recognises artists and makers, as well as those who reviewed and judged the exhibits. It provides close readings of specific exhibits in relation to stylistic developments, material and technological innovations, iconographic themes and visual ideologies. At the same time, it broadens approaches to post-medieval stained glass by examining the wider cultural, political, economic and global contexts of its production, circulation and critical reception.

Each of the themed chapters highlights a different aspect of stained glass in the nineteenth century. This includes material taxonomies, modes of display, stylistic eclecticism, exhibitors' international networks, production and consumption, and nationalism and imperialism. The book challenges several methodological and historiographical assumptions and paradigms, making a substantial contribution not only to the history of stained glass, but to global nineteenth-century studies.

Review Quotes

'Readers of this book will emerge with a strong sense of how stained glass evolved into an international medium and how this was facilitated or impeded within the context of the international exhibitions. Allen's pertinent analysis provides insights about how the exhibitions functioned, how exhibitors attempted to promote their works, and the ways that historicist styles were adapted to meet contemporaneous issues. This book is both an important contribution to our understanding of the international exhibitions and welcome stimulus for opening up the study of stained glass to the analytical attention that it deserves.'
Journal of Design History

About the Author

Jasmine Allen is Director and Curator of The Stained Glass Museum, the only museum dedicated to the art of stained glass in the UK, which boasts a national collection of stained glass from medieval to modern. She gained her PhD from the University of York.