Fragment

Art Historical Context

This delicate fragment of stained glass, hailing from France between the 12th and 14th centuries, offers a glimpse into the luminous world of medieval ecclesiastical art. Measuring just 1¾ × 3⅜ inches, it survives as a testament to the grand stained-glass windows that adorned Gothic cathedrals like Chartres and Notre-Dame. Crafted from pot-metal glass—where vibrant colors are achieved by infusing metal oxides directly into molten glass during production—the piece achieves its rich, jewel-like tones that endure centuries later. Over this, vitreous paint, a glassy enamel fired onto the surface, ...