This is the window I wrote about in earlier library posts. No doubt, there are more spectacular pieces of stained glass art in the world, some even in the US, but this one lends a stately dignity and beauty to our library. The artist was Raymond K. Perry. He began designing and constructing the window in 1910. Couldn't find much about Perry on Google. Perhaps there is something in the library stacks about him; seems a logical place to start, eh?
The library's stained glass window is beautiful, especially when the afternoon sun shines upon it and the room is dappled in a rainbow of color. It depicts Aristotle instructing a young Alexander, on his way to Greatness, I suppose.
The first image below shows the panel above Aristotle and his student. The swastikas must have caused a terrible controversy post-WW2 because the library felt compelled at some point to produce an information sheet explaining that the swastika, as shown in the window, pre-dates the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei by at least 2,000 years and is a part of ancient cultures around the world, including Native American tribes.
The final image is of the bottom panel of the window. I don't know who Edward Etzler Young was, other than someone's beloved son who died in his youth. The window was installed in 1911, when the library was completed - hence its original name, The Young Memorial Library.
There you have it: all I know (at present) about the Aristotle Window.
6 comments:
The window is indeed a very beautiful piece and I can understand how it is you like it so well. I find myself wondering how large it might be?
Installed the same year as my house was built. History is always problematic, inconvenient subsequent history being what it is. Still, I have a soft spot for stained glass.
The window is beautiful. The only place I get to sit in the glow of stained glass is at my UCC church. I absolutely love what the high, south-facing, stained glass does to the sanctuary. It's magical. Our windows are small, but there are several of them. Is this one large window, by itself?
Nice to know it wasn't thought necessary to incorporate some kind of religious message in the stained glass windows. That the library is primarily a secular institution. At about the time you were photographing these I was showing off Hereford Cathedral's stained glass windows to Mr and Mrs Relucent Reader, over here on one of those if-it's-Tuesday-it-must-be-Slough type of trips. We gave them ham sandwiches, buns and tea, an unheard-of repast in the da Ponte house. Did we do right, do you think?
And so I return to the currently top post to leave a single something: (o)
A beautiful window. It has a golden glow. I agree with L da P, its nice to see stained glass without religion.
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