Gothic Stained Glass

Timeline

1. 1351–1354Chartres · FranceThe rose window of Chartres Cathedral's north transept is dominated by deep blue and red glass depicting the Virgin and saints in a ring. Craftsmen fixed the panes with H-shaped lead cames, with some details outlined in black enamel paint, casting colorful light through the glass.
2. 1355–1358York · United KingdomNew stained glass windows were installed during the large-scale renovation and expansion of York Minster, with local glassmakers using silver-staining techniques to produce yellow-toned glass. The English stained glass style favored narrative comic-strip-like compositions, showing biblical stories directly to the faithful.
3. 1357–1360Strasbourg · AlsaceGlass workshops in Strasbourg and other Rhine River basin towns supplied materials for cathedrals, coloring glass with metal oxides such as copper, iron, and manganese. Glass sheets were blown, spun flat, then cut and inlaid, and Rhineland techniques spread across Europe.