
One of the reasons that I have come to love photographing stained glass windows is story. There’s the story of the building in which the window is placed. There’s the story of the people who commissioned the creation of the window. There’s the story that the artist and his or her team is asked to express in paint and layers of glass, and their artistic interpretation of that story. And then there’s the completed window and what story it actually conveys to each individual viewer across the generations.

These are details from the windows at Church of the Convenant, located on Newbury Street in Boston’s Back Bay. It is a National Historic Landmark built 1865-1867. Then, in the late 1890s, the sanctuary was completely redecorated by Tiffany Glass & Decorating Company.

It is still an active parish and they have put together a wealth of information detailing the story of the parish, the Gothic architecture of the building, and its Tiffany decoration.

There is an online tour of the windows and interior via this link. But, of course, if you’re in the area, definitely take the self-guided tour still available. The walking map provides interesting descriptions of the three Tiffany designers’ interpretations of the biblical stories they were to represent in glass.

And of the photographs I took during my most recent walking tour, following is an image that did not work out and yet I could not make myself delete it. So, I suppose such an action is part of the story of me.

More information available: http://www.cotcbos.org/
The photo you couldn’t delete is the one most inspiring to me. It seems to tell a story all of the window’s own; as if the images are words. I’ve been searching for a personally significant, yet hidden story in Boston’s glorious church windows; and it continues to elude me. But I’m glad I found your site. All of the photos you present here are beautiful; but your florals and windows are my favs. Tell me, please, do you have a coffee table book of just the stained glass art you’ve photographed and the writings they’ve inspired? If not, you really should!
I hope that such a book will happen. I’m glad you enjoyed the posts. Take care. 😉
Strange question, I know, but have you, in your trips around Boston, ever happened by any stained glass work done by a black artist/architect named William Augustus Hazel?