Pierre Fourmaintraux | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1896 Desvres |
| Died | 1974 (aged 78) |
| Known for | Stained glass and dalle de verre |
| Spouse | Rachel Winslow |
Francois Pierre Fourmaintraux (known as Pierre) (1896-1974) was a renowned glass artist who is credited with having introduced the dalle de verre technique to the UK and having taught other influential glass artists such as Dom Charles Norris.
Pierre Fourmaintraux was born Francois Pierre Fourmaintraux in Metz, France in 1896. Pierre moved to the UK and married an English wife Rachel Winslow (1880-1974), who was an impressionist painter, settling in Harrow. He retired in 1969 and died in 1974 at the age of 78. [1]
While in France Fourmaintraux produced conventional leaded stained glass, but after World War II changed to the dalle de verre technique, joining James Powell and Sons (later Whitefriars Glass) in the UK. He is credited with introducing the dalle de verre technique to the UK,[ citation needed ] a technique that was already popular in France. From 1956, Fourmaintraux was Powell's chief designer of slab glass and abstract windows. His first dalle de verre for the UK was said to be two small windows for St Peter's Reigate. He is said to have taught the dalle de verre technique to Dom Charles Norris who became one of the most celebrated and prolific users of the technique. [2] Whitefriars identified their glass with a small image of a hooded friar, usually in a bottom corner of the window. Fourmaintraux identified his own glass by adding his initials PF near the friar.
St Raphael the Archangel, Millbrook, Stalybridge
A Grade II listed church designed by Edward J Massey of architects' practice Massey and Massey of Warrington (1961-3). The church's listing by Historic England notes: "the mosaic-like appearance of the prominent dalle de verre screen, in a bold modern design of geometric blockiness and stepped massing culminating in the dominant circular dome." It goes on to say: "the church is a showcase for contemporary arts and crafts, being embellished with Pierre Fourmaintraux's extensive figurative dalle de verre screen of Tobias and the Archangel whose brilliant colours and organic forms epitomise good 1960s ecclesiastical glass design and dramatically enrich the interior space". [3]
English Heritage commented in a report on St Raphael's: "The screen is a good example of 1960s ecclesiastical glass design...It is a relatively early example, preceding the glass at Liverpool Cathedral, and is of interest in being figurative, rather than the more usual abstract schemes employing dalle de verre glass...Both Fourmaintraux and Boyson have listed work elsewhere and their work here undoubtedly adds to the artistic interest of the building." [4]
The church was threatened with demolition in 2011 but was saved and listed (Grade II). [5]
Christ Church, Frankpledge Road, Coventry
Designed by Alfred H Gardner, this Grade II listed church features dalle de verre by Fourmaintraux.
"22 square panels of thick glass set in concrete illustrating the life of Christ, by Pierre Fourmaintraux. The wealth of purple and gold contrasted with the natural timber in a variety of chequerboard designs gives a variety and vibrancy to the building rare in this period".
— Christ Church List Entry Summary, Historic England [6]
According to Robert Proctor, Senior Lecturer in Architecture at Bath University, [7] Fourmaintraux works include windows for:
Fourmaintraux also produced works for:
In 2008 the Museum of London gifted the Rakow Library (the Research Library of the Corning Museum of Glass) the Whitefriars Collection, consisting of 1,800 cartoons (or working drawings). The Rakow Library received a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to develop an innovative methodology for preserving, digitizing, and making accessible this collection. Preservation work undertaken includes cartoons from Fourmaintraux's windows in St. Peter’s Church, Lawrence Weston, Bristol, and for the War Memorial in Auckland, New Zealand. [15] [16]
A pen and ink and watercolour drawing for Fourmaintraux's design of an abstract dalle de verre window for the 'Golden Ball', public house, Campo Lane, Sheffield is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. [17] The museum also holds a pen and ink and watercolour drawing for 15 small stained-glass windows of abstract design for Narberth Crematorium, near Porthcawl. [18]
Stained glass is colored glass as a material or works created from it. Although, it is traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensional structures and sculpture. Modern vernacular usage has often extended the term "stained glass" to include domestic lead light and objets d'art created from foil glasswork exemplified in the famous lamps of Louis Comfort Tiffany.
Conrad Schmitt Studios is an architectural arts studio located in New Berlin, Wisconsin. It provides ecclesiastical art, stained glass artistry, art glass, decorative painting, mosaics, murals and sculptural arts. The studio specializes in restoration services for buildings of architectural, historical and religious significance. Founded in 1889 by German-American artist Conrad Schmitt, the company is one of the oldest and largest glass studios in the United States.
The firm of James Powell and Sons, also known as Whitefriars Glass, were London-based English glassmakers, leadlighters and stained-glass window manufacturers. As Whitefriars Glass, the company existed from the 18th century, but became well known as a result of the 19th-century Gothic Revival and the demand for stained glass windows.
Clayton and Bell was one of the most prolific and proficient British workshops of stained-glass windows during the latter half of the 19th century and early 20th century. The partners were John Richard Clayton (1827–1913) and Alfred Bell (1832–1895). The company was founded in 1855 and continued until 1993. Their windows are found throughout the United Kingdom, in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Gabriel Loire was a French stained glass artist of the twentieth century whose extensive works, portraying various persons or historical scenes, appear in many venues around the world. He founded the Loire Studio in Chartres, France which continues to produce stained glass windows. Loire was a leader in the modern use of "slab glass", which is much thicker and stronger than the stained glass technique of the Middle Ages. The figures in his windows are mostly Impressionistic in style.
Johannes Stephanus Theron known professionally as Leo Théron was a South African stained-glass window artist who specialises in the dalles de verre technique.
Lawrence Stanley Lee was a British stained glass artist whose work spanned the latter half of the 20th century. He was best known for leading the project to create ten windows for the nave of the new Coventry Cathedral. His other work includes windows at Guildford and Southwark Cathedrals as well as a great number of works elsewhere in the UK, and some in Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Hugh Arnold was an English stained glass artist. Arnold was educated at the Slade School of Fine Art before attending the London County Council (LCC) Central School of Arts and Crafts where he studied under Christopher Whall from 1989 to 1903. He designed stained glass windows for James Powell & Sons and also did some independent work. While an officer in the Northumberland Fusiliers, Arnold died on active service at Gallipoli in 1915.
Dalle de verre, from French: "glass slab", is a glass art technique that uses pieces of coloured glass set in a matrix of concrete and epoxy resin or other supporting material.
Katharine Lamb Tait was an American stained glass and mosaics designer, painter, muralist, and illustrator. She was the head designer at J&R Lamb Studios for more than four decades, and created notable commissions for the Tuskegee Institute Chapel and for chapels at the United States Marine Corps’ Camp Lejeune, among others.
Jean-Jacques Duval was a French-born American artist who pioneered abstract art and the use of faceted glass in stained glass design in the 1960s. In 2005 he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Stained Glass Association of America. Best known for his window designs in Germany, Israel, Japan, the West Indies, and the United States, his paintings and sculptures have also been exhibited throughout North America.
Gerard Thomas Goalen was a British architect who specialised in church architecture and was influenced by continental models and the Liturgical Movement. He was one of the most important architects of the Catholic Modernist movement in the United Kingdom during the 20th century.
Charles Norris OSB (1909–2004) was a Benedictine monk and dalle de verre stained glass artist who created works for Roman Catholic churches in the UK.
Art Nouveau glass is fine glass in the Art Nouveau style. Typically the forms are undulating, sinuous and colorful art, usually inspired by natural forms. Pieces are generally larger than drinking glasses, and decorative rather than practical, other than for use as vases and lighting fittings; there is little tableware. Prominently makers, from the 1890s onwards, are in France René Lalique, Emile Gallé and the Daum brothers, the American Louis Comfort Tiffany, Christopher Dresser in Scotland and England, and Friedrich Zitzman, Karl Koepping and Max Ritter von Spaun in Germany. Art Nouveau glass included decorative objects, vases, lamps, and stained glass windows. It was usually made by hand, and was usually colored with metal oxides while in a molten state in a furnace.
Carl Huneke was a German-American stained glass artist and master craftsman.
Keith New was a stained glass artist and craftsman during his early career and a well-regarded teacher and landscape painter in later life. After studying at the Royal College of Art (RCA) New returned there, heading the RCA Stained Glass Department from 1955-1958. He served as Head of Art & Design at the Central School of Art from 1957-1964. He was Head of Foundation Studies at Kingston School of Art from 1968-1991. In 1965 New became a Brother of the Art Workers Guild.
John 'Jack' Baker (1916-2007) was a British stained-glass artist, teacher, conservator and author.
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