In Search of Ancient Simplicity: Stylistic, Ornamental, and Technological Sources for Early Cistercian Stained Glass

The General Chapter of the Cistercian Order restricted and controlled all facets of monastic life, including art. In its early years, it banned the use of color, crosses, and images in the Order's windows. The simple aesthetic of Cistercian glazing distinguished it from the majority of contempo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of glass studies 2023-01, Vol.65, p.117-140
Main Author: Utzig, Joanna
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
12th century
13th century
6th century
Early Middle Ages
Glazing
Monasteries
Monks
Romanesque
Stained glass
Visual arts
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Summary:The General Chapter of the Cistercian Order restricted and controlled all facets of monastic life, including art. In its early years, it banned the use of color, crosses, and images in the Order's windows. The simple aesthetic of Cistercian glazing distinguished it from the majority of contemporaneous stained-glass windows, which favored large areas of pot-metal glass and the frequent depiction of images, such as the windows dated 1140-1144 in the abbey of Saint-Denis in France. I argue that the Cistercians sought inspiration for their style and decoration in ancient and early medieval art, and their goal was to emulate what they believed to be the art of the sixth-century Benedictines, the founders of European monasticism. The Cistercians' ordinances were intended to resurrect the pure, spiritual monastic life of the early Benedictine Rule. Simple, abstract window designs were seen to foster an atmosphere of contemplative, undisturbed spirituality, and as such, were the manifestation of the Cistercian ideal.
ISSN:0075-4250