A Collection of Authentic Designs

Between the Turn of the 20th Century and the Great Depression leaded glass windows were a "must have" for middle class homes. Influenced by the Prairie School in Chicago and the Art Nouveau Movement in Europe, unknown craftsmen created simple designs that enhanced the view without dominating the room. I wonder if these craftsmen thought of themselves as artists in the current sense at all. The designs show a mastery of mechanical drawing – a knack for proportion, simplicity and rhythm – rather than a desire for high energy and individual expression. It is the quiet simplicity of the designs that has saved them from generations of home remodelers and influenced American taste for the last hundred years.

Designs have been traced from houses in the Chicago area built between 1900 and 1930. The copyright on the collection belongs to Stained Glass Ltd. You are welcome to print individual images for your personal use.

Click on a graphic of a stained glass window design below for a printer friendly image.