Stainglass Window

The Beheading of St. John the Baptist ; 1275 Stained and painted glass. Approx. one foot squared. Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Stained glass windows in churches were created to carry elaborate iconographical messages to the faithful (1) who were mostly illiterate at the time of the creation of this work, The Beheading of St. John the Baptist. St. John the Baptist was imprisoned by King Herod for speaking against the marriage of Herod and his brother's wife, …

…by looking at the many stained glass windows representing some biblical reality. The bubbles, flaws, and other irregularities in the glass diffuse the light and would probably make the glass sparkle in direct sunlight. This stained glass window captures not only the religious fervor of the era but also the sense of artistry and sophistication in using the available material on the available medium, successfully making the stained glass window an effective work of art.