Piet Mondrian and Stained Glass

Here’s an interesting story from our our colleague, Ebel Rispens, who lives in Groningen in The Netherlands.

It’s in response to our recent post about sunlight and stained glass design.

Ebel writes:

It’s a fact that Piet Mondrian never ever made or designed a stained glass window.

And do you know why?

He refused to have anything to do with stained glass because he thought it was one of the ugliest things that anyone could do with colours …

Well, I am sure we’ve all seen some stained glass windows which make us wish that Thomas Cromwell were alive today.

And I am also sure it’s sometimes fun to make provocative and witty remarks.

Yet I only need to walk around some of the art on display in London’s Tate Modern to remind myself why we are glad to practice a craft.

As with mainstream art, so with the craft of stained glass: it’s often the content and the design which appear to transcend rational appraisal, and – worse – simply become the victim of fashion.

But at least there are clear standards about whether a stained glass window has been skilfully painted and assembled.

At least the making is subject to objective scrutiny and judgment.

And at least this process of making something well is something which demands to be enjoyed for its own sake – even when it happens to be your livelihood.