Featured Window

Our Lady of Grace, Dearborn Heights, Michigan

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MSGC : Collections : Window

Window

Building Name: Trinity Episcopal Church

Studio Name: Tiffany Studios (attributed by the church to)

City: Niles

Window Shape: 5 (gothic arched, 2 vertical sections)

Date of Window: 1939

Subject/Title of Window: Hope

Brief Description of Subject: The dominant figures hold the cruciform banner of the Resurrection her broken manacles represent freedom from doubt and fear. One of the children, clothed in green, the color of youth and growing things, holds a branch of Maythorn, another symbol of rebirth. Below is the kneeling figure of St. Francis holding a lamb and welcoming the birds. This window is an expression in light and color of the cardinal Christian Virtues, Hop.

The dominating central figures is designed as an allegorical symbol of that admirable quality which scholars and poets have recognized in such beautiful and profound terms. Peter Lombard in his sentences defines Hope as the certain expectation of future bliss, coming from the grace of God and preceding merits. Dante has read this eloquent expression and records it in his Paradiso section of his Divine Comedy. It is probably for this reason that Medieval figures symbolizing Hope, such as those served in stone in the Cathedral of Paris and Amiens, are represented gazing toward heavenly crown.

This central figure holds the cruciform banner of the Resurrection emblem of Christian Hope. The broken manacles suggest freedom from doubt and despair. The ruby mantle suggests Divine Love in terms of mediaeval color symbolism. The white veil is the color symbol of Hope and the gold enrichment symbolizes Treasurers in Heaven. One of the accompanying children holds a branch of Maythorn, another expressive symbol of Hope through the rebirth of nature and springtime. They are clothed in green- the color of youth and growing things.

Below, the kneeling figure of Saint Francis of Assisi holds a lamb and welcome birds and animals, shy creatures of the woodland. The surrounding architectural canopy is designed in a decorative manner to harmonize with other windows in the south aisle. A space for the memorial inscription is provided at the base of the window.

Condition of Window: Good

Height: 8.5'

Width: 2'

Type of Glass and Technique: Antique or Cathedral Glass

The MSGC is a constantly evolving database. Not all the data that has been collected by volunteers has been sorted and entered. Not every building has been completely documented.

All images in the Index are either born-digital photographs of windows or buildings or are scans of slides, prints, or other published sources. These images have been provided by volunteers and the quality of the material varies widely.

If you have any questions, additions or corrections, or think you can provide better images and are willing to share them, please contact donald20@msu.edu