Stained Glass before 1700 in the Collections of the Midwest States II, (Corpus vitrearum United States of America), 2002, 2 vol., 600 p., 570 ill, 46 plates col. -

This is the first catalogue to appear in the newly launched series by the United States Committe of the International Corpus Vitrearum. It covers both private and public collections in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio, presenting somme 200 panels of stained glass from France, Germany, the Lowlands and Switzerland. Among the collections catalogued is the particularity interesting glass at the Detroit Institute of Arts, as well as the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Toledo Museum of Art. The present publication, in 2 volumes, offers the result of meticulous research over a number of years by a team of expert scholars in the field. The authors explore the auhenticity of each object through description of materials and techniques, and through conservation diagrams. there are also detailed discussions on iconography as well as stylistic evaluations, and particular attention is paid to the structure of artistic workshops. Every panel catalogued is fully illustrated, often with enlarged details, and with comparative paintings, drawings, prints or glass. The introductory text discusses not only the nature and function of stained glass and its relationship to archictecture, but in examing the history of the various collections of glass in the United States, the authors reveal fascinating information on changing taste, the social status of the collectors and their attitudes towards religion.