New light in the window

[Rafaelovich]

The rebirth of stained glass, in version artists of the twentieth century

After the war of stained glass in France begins a new life. Often state and Church initiative, at least in private. Artists actively sought to replace the destroyed stained glass, repair damaged. Orders began to receive not just secular, and modern artists. The construction of Notre-Dame-de-Tu-Gras in Passi in 1946 angered conservative Catholics. Besides that looks like a normal Savoyard Chalet and cabin roof, and place it called artists of the Paris school. The facade did Fernand Leger, and old Testament history on the glass — Jean Bazin, Pierre Bonnard, Georges Braque, Marc Chagall.
Even less like the Church chapel by Le Corbusier in Ronchamp (1955) — a masterpiece of concrete up to the sky "nose", with small Windows of different shapes and roof cocked hat. Le Corbusier believed the stained glass Windows of a symptom of old architecture and instead used just colored glass. The first abstract stained-glass Windows, the work of Alfred Manase, appeared in the tiny Church of the XVIII century Saint-Michel-de-Brezo in the mountains in Eastern France.

A powerful monument to the art of stained glass of the twentieth century was the Cathedral of St Etienne in Metz. It was called "the divine lamp" because glass is more than 6 thousand m2. Protected monument of architecture with a unique collection of stained glass of the thirteenth century was the first to let a avant-garde artists. Started in 1957, Jacques Villon, the eldest of the brothers Duchamp. In 1964, joined Roger Bisher, stained-glass Windows which are reminiscent of the paintings of Paul Klee, and Marc Chagall. For middle-aged artist, it was the first but not last experience with glass. After the Mets he received orders from the Rockefeller family, from the United Nations and so on. And today its stained-glass Windows inspired by, for example, Damien Hirst.

In 1976 destroyed in the war, the Cathedral Saint-Cyr in Never began a large-scale work on the restoration of stained glass, which ended only in 2011. More than 1 thousand m2 divided between five artists: Raul UBAC, Jean-Michel Alberola, Claude Viallet, Francois Rouen and Gottfried Honegger. Turned out the Museum of French art of the second half of the XX century under the Gothic arches of the Cathedral. And severe Romanesque architecture of the XII century Abbey of Saint-Foy in Conques highlight Pierre Soulages. The artist has long sought a suitable glass, wanted the stained glass in the shade took sand color of the walls, and in the sun reflects the surrounding greenery. The glass is thick with a bumpy surface is found, and all 104 arched Windows, he tied the belt of his beloved black.

Curators of the exhibition in detail on each of Cathedral, complete stained sections of drawings, photos and videos. Tell about modern stained glass workshops, and about the stages of glass production, and that the stained glass Windows are possible not only in churches but also in sports halls of Paris.

Gerard Garouste. A sketch of stained glass for the Church of Notre Dame de talant. 1995