The earliest evidence of stained glass was its use as a primarily Christian art form. Early glass artists were inspired by the developments of goldsmiths, cloisonné enamellers and the tradition of tile mosaics. Already having the ability to produce relatively large pieces of colored glass, artists learned that a mixture of iron filings and powdered glass formed a paste which could be painted on the glass to depict various images. Glass artists introduced the use of less expensive lead, instead of gold framework to hold together pieces of colored glass as a window rather than a broach or wall decoration. This technique became more prevalent when the spread of Christianity throughout Europe brought about substantial church building. By the tenth century, French and German churches were depicting biblical scenes and images of Christ. At the same time, more decorative designs were being found in England. In 1100 AD, the monk Theophilus described the techniques of stained glass window construction, which have remained virtually unchanged for 900 years.

The Gothic age produced the great cathedrals of Europe and also brought about the flourishing of stained glass windows. Abbot Suger of the Abbey of St. Denis rebuilt his church in what is one of the earliest examples of the Gothic style. The Abbot’s vision to illuminate not only the church building but also men’s minds was assisted by the developing architectural innovations which became known as the Gothic Era. The flying buttresses and vaulted ceilings of this age made it possible for large portions of wall space to be filled with glass. The explosion of Gothic architecture served as the foundation of the art of stained glass. After the Norman conquest of England, French stained glass artists migrated to England, with Flemish and German artists quickly to follow, thus spreading the different styles and techniques of stained glass art throughout Europe.

During this period came the accidental discovery of silver stain. When the silver button of one of the glaziers fell into a piece of glass during the firing process, it resulted in a rich gold stain on the fired piece. The eventual application of silver oxide to glass before firing allowed the artist to obtain rich and varied hues of gold and yellow on clear glass, a prominent feature of most late medieval glass.

Stained glass artists became glass painters as the Renaissance began, due to the influence of the emerging Renaissance painters. Their attempts to portray minute details did not translate into the Gothic style with its bold lead lines and strong figures. Glaziers began to imitate fresco and easel painting, which gradually began to obscure the beautiful translucency of the glass. The Renaissance brought stained glass art into a 300 year period where the windows were predominantly heavily painted white glass. By the mid 1800’s, England saw a revival in Gothic architecture which resurrected the traditional glass studios to produce their versions of medieval windows.

The English immigrant Boltan Brothers established the first stained glass studios in America. John LaFarge and Louis Comfort Tiffany were the two most prominent American painters who began experimenting with glass. LaFarge developed and copyrighted opalescent glass in 1879. Tiffany popularized it and his name became synonymous with opalescent glass and the American glass movement. As stained glass art progressed, the use of thin copper strips instead of lead allowed for intricate sections within windows. Although interest in stained glass artistry waned during the period between WWI and WWII, the post World War era brought a slow and steady increase in its popularity. The last thirty years have brought an explosion of interest and has given rise to many new and imaginative forms of stained glass art.