The Arts Society Kennet & Swindon `TASKS’ – December 2023 Meeting – The Lecture: ‘The Christmas Story in Stained Glass’

The December 2023 meeting of TASKS will be on Monday 11^th December.  The lecture will begin at 11.00 am and coffee will, as usual, be available from 10.15 am.  Guests are always very welcome. You do not need to book in advance. 

The Lecture: The Christmas Story in Stained Glass

In Medieval times, stained glass portrayed the bible stories visually to a population that was largely illiterate. Not surprisingly the Christmas story was a popular topic for the glass makers. From the Fall, through the Old Testament prophecies to the Nativity and the Epiphany glassmakers used their technical skill and artistic imagination to provide wonderful images. Despite the depredations of the Reformation and the English Civil War, there remain some spectacular examples, especially at Canterbury and York, or nearer at home at Fairford. The art of stained glass making was lost for several centuries, until the mid-19^th century when the Christian Revival saw a demand  for all things medieval including stained glass. An entire new industry of stained glass making emerged employing the imagination of the greatest artists of the time, including Edward Burne-Jones.  In this lecture we will trace the history of stained glass in England as seen in the Christmas story.

The speaker: Christopher Rogers

Christopher Rogers read geography at Oxford and taught at Marlborough and Downe House for twenty years. He has been an Arts Society lecturer until very recently. He gave courses at the Marlborough College Summer School from its inception and provides an annual lecture morning for the Marlborough Merchants House spring course. He has been chairman of TASKS and remains editor of the Newscast, and organiser of a series of day visits as well as much enjoyed holidays, the most recent being to Bologna.