Stained glass in Istanbul

As a person who loves working with glass, it was a special treat to see the beautiful glass work in Istanbul. The major applications of glass were in windows and in lanterns.

The technique used in windows here was very different from what is used in Europe. In the cathedral windows of Europe, the glass is cut, often painted and burned to get detail, and then leaded and cemented. In the famous Tiffany windows in the US and Europe, the glass is cut, sometimes painted and burned, then foiled and soldered.

In Istanbul, the pieces are cut, arranged, and then cemented in, unto a clear glass background. It is clear from the examples shown in these photos, that the method has several advantages. One is the amount of detail that can be acquired, including in some cases, working with intricate Arabic caligraphy. The other is that the windows are much better able to stand the test of time - unlike the leaded windows of Europe, there is is no sagging or cracking evident.

The local term for these windows is "embroidered" windows. For those of you who would like to read more about the history of stained glass in Turkey, click here.
 

 

 

 

 

Glass mosaic lamp, brought home from Istanbul