The Virgin Mary and Five Standing Saints above Predella Panels
Unknown Artist
1440–46
Medium
Pot-metal glass, white glass, vitreous paint, silver stain
Dimensions
Each window 12 ft. 4 1/2 in. x 28 1/4 in. (337.2 x 71.8 cm)
Classification
Glass-Stained
Culture
German
Department
The Cloisters
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Cloisters Collection, 1937
Accession Number
37.52.1–.6
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the serene medieval galleries of The Cloisters, this pair of monumental stained-glass windows from Germany, dated 1440–46, captivates with its depiction of the Virgin Mary by five standing saints above intricate predella panels. Crafted by an unknown artist each window towers at over 12 feet high and nearly 2.5 feet wide, designed to flood sacred spaces with vibrant light and divine imagery. The composition reflects the late Gothic devotion to Marian and saintly veneration, common in ecclesiastical settings where such windows served as "Bible of the Poor," illuminating biblical narr...