Decorative Stained-glass Windows

After the World War II, the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo undertook a huge restoration and reconstruction campaign, designed to heal the wounds inflicted on the Monument by the catastrophic conflict.

These are decorative stained-glasses for the upper windows of the Cathedral's central nave, corresponding to the first and second order of the Rooftops.

These stained-glas windows that were designed with purely decorative intent from the beginning, without any specific iconographic choice. Swords, helmets, coats of arms, spears: each element is made up of glass tiles.

Characterized by strong colors and a purely aesthetic taste, the upper-order stained-glass windows, being so far from the eye-line, mostly contain series of ornamental floral motifs.

The tiles often take the form of specific geometric shapes, vibrant with color effects, without any didactic or explanatory intent. The ultimate goal is the color itself.

It's therefore possible to come across subjects both unexpected and distinctive, as in this window, within which subjects drawn from the marine world are recognizable.

Purely plant-related motifs are also characteristic: plumes, leaves, acorns, made more evident by audacious color choices. Reds and yellows all contribute to making the tiles shine.

Religious symbols—such as in the case of this stained-glass window, within the central part of which the four Evangelists may be recognized—are included as decorative motifs...

... even the Gospels and pastoral elements.

Fabric's colored bows frame the hieratic faces of two angels.

Prisms sharpened like stalactites cut through the upper windows openings.

Sybils' faces observe the central nave, hidden from the heights.

Intertwined scrolls become unusual decorative motifs.

The moon and stars as small points of light embellish marble vains, with vibrant swathes of color adorning these hidden caverns, now accessible thanks to recent high definition captures.


Read more on Milan Cathedral Remixed.