New-York tribune., 1902-02-02

STAINED GLASS WINDOWS.
ELABORATE DESIGNS FOR CHURCH
DECORATION-HOW ARTISTS
WORK IN MOSAIC.

WORK IN MOSAIC.
The progress and development of the arts and
crafts in the United States within fifteen years
have been phenomenal and especially so in the
last five years. This development is particularly
marked in the applied arts Of the mural painter,
the rn0saicist and the artist in colored glass.
one Of the largest and most elaborate stained
glass windows ever undertaken is now being
executed in the studios Of the Church Glass and
Decorating Company. in this city. It viii be
placed in the Second Presbyterian Church Of
Chicago. and is after design by William +.
Kline an associate Of the National Academy of
Design The main opening measures Is feet in
height and 16 feet in width and there are five
smaller openings. each II feet high and 80 feet
wide The subject is the Ascension. and the
larger upcEing shows the Redeemer being wei
coined TO heaven by the celestial hierarchies
The smaller openings are filled with representa-
ti0ns of angels. carrying the instruments of the
Passion, the artist endeavoring to portray the
story Of the Redemption and the triumph Of
coed over evil.
The studio IN which this window is being exc
cuted is a busy place just now. and the work
Is advancing rapidly. A few weeks ago the
artist sent The workers in glass his cartoon. or
WORKING drawing, made on quarter scale This
was enlarged by photography to the full size
and tW0 transfers were made on manila paper
One was put aside TO be used as map or guide
for the glazier when the pieces of glass are ready
10 be put together with leads. The other trans
fer was cut up into patterns which were then
arranged an glass easel which stands against
the light 1T one end Of the studio. The many
pieces Of PAPER represent the separate pieces
Of glass which needed as far as general out
line Is concerned.
Alons one side of the studio is long row Of
racks filed with glass Of various sorts-opal-
escent, antique. pot metal flash and drapery-
and in cal-s that would almost shame the most
magnificent rainbow. The drapery glass is used
10 carry elt th- drawing. and as fast as the
pieces are chosen they are cut to the forms of
the paper pattern and put in place on the glass
easeL
The next step is one Of the most difficult and
requires keen artistic sense Of color At one
SIDE q the glass easel stands the color model.
a reproduction II the design on a small scale.
carefully worked out in colors. The glass ar
tisan has tg match these ccIors exactly. and
there are several ways Of doing it. Generally
the shade desired can be obtained by superfm-
posing one glass over another. and in some cases
in this window the artisan has been COMPELLED
to employ three. four and five thicknesses. 1t
Is often necessary 10 cut away some Of the color
by means ot acids
When the glass is cut the artisan again takes
hand and paints the heads Of the figures This
work used to he turned over to so-caued glass
painters. who were often unable TO grasp the
thought and conception Of the artist The heads
are painted with fusibIe colors made Of min
eral oxides mixed irh a fux. The artist works
in much the same manner as does a portrait
Painter with oils, only from time to time he
places his painting in a kiln. and the heat makes
il part Of the glass, thereby insuring its
durability.
II is then the glazer's turn and the many
small pieces Of glass are laid out on a broad
table on which one of the transfer sheets has
been placed With long strips of grooved lead
the pieces are rapidly put in place powdered
cement is then sprinkled over the glass and
worked into the small crevices about the leads
making the section solid.