5.2 Iconography and narrative strategies in stained glass

Stained glass windows in Gothic churches were powerful storytelling tools. They used biblical scenes, saints' lives, and family trees to teach religious lessons. These colorful windows helped illiterate people understand complex spiritual ideas.

Window designs varied from circular rose windows to tall lancets. Each style had its own way of organizing scenes and symbols. Colors, shapes, and figures all worked together to create meaningful religious narratives for medieval viewers.

Narrative Strategies

Biblical Stories and Religious Figures

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• Typology establishes connections between Old and New Testament figures and events, presenting the Old Testament as a prefiguration of the New (Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac foreshadows God's sacrifice of Jesus)
• Hagiography depicts the lives, miracles, and martyrdoms of saints, serving as visual models of piety and devotion for the faithful (St. Catherine of Alexandria, St. Martin of Tours)
• Biblical narratives illustrate key events and teachings from the Old and New Testaments, educating the largely illiterate medieval population about scripture (Creation, Passion of Christ, Apocalypse)

Family Lineage and Spiritual Genealogy

• Jesse Tree traces the lineage of Christ back to Jesse, father of King David, emphasizing Jesus' royal ancestry and fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies
  • The tree grows from a recumbent figure of Jesse, with branches depicting his descendants and culminating in Christ
  • Popularized in the 12th century, Jesse Trees appear in various media, including stained glass, illuminated manuscripts, and sculpture (Chartres Cathedral, Saint-Denis Basilica)

Window Designs

Divided and Circular Compositions

• Medallion windows consist of a series of circular or quatrefoil-shaped panels, each containing a single scene or figure
  • Medallions are arranged in a grid-like pattern, often reading from bottom to top and left to right
  • This design allows for the inclusion of multiple narratives or thematic cycles within a single window (Sainte-Chapelle, Paris)
• Lancet windows are tall, narrow windows ending in a pointed arch, typical of Gothic architecture
  • Lancets often contain a single standing figure or a vertical series of scenes, creating a more linear narrative flow (Canterbury Cathedral)
• Rose windows are large circular windows, usually placed above the main entrance or on the transept ends of a church
  • Divided into radiating segments by stone tracery, rose windows often depict complex theological themes or cosmological schemes (Notre-Dame de Paris, north transept)

Symbolic Elements

Patrons and Heavenly Hierarchies

• Donor portraits depict the individuals or groups who commissioned or funded the stained glass, often shown kneeling in prayer or presenting a model of the church to a saint or Christ
  • These portraits serve as a form of self-promotion and a request for divine intercession, while also encouraging others to emulate the donors' generosity (Chartres Cathedral, Geoffrey Plantagenet window)
• Symbolic colors convey religious meanings and hierarchies within the composition
  • Blue, associated with the heavens and divine wisdom, is often used for the robes of Christ and the Virgin Mary
  • Red symbolizes blood, sacrifice, and martyrdom, and is frequently used for the robes of Christ, the apostles, and martyred saints
  • Purple, a costly dye, signifies royalty and is reserved for kings, emperors, and Christ as King of Heaven
  • Green represents life, growth, and regeneration, and is used for the earth, trees, and vegetation
  • Yellow and gold symbolize divinity, sanctity, and celestial light, and are used for halos, divine rays, and the heavenly city of Jerusalem