How a stained glass window is made

The art of the lead-framed stained glass window – a widespread architectural feature from the Middle Ages to the nineteenth century – enjoyed renewed popularity at the start of the twentieth century. It achieved success at the Prima Mostra della Vetrata Artistica organised in 1912 by Cesare Picchiarini, who had attracted famous artists (Cambellotti, Paschetto, Grassi, Bottazzi) to the circle of his workshop.

These artists prepared cartoons for the windows that the master then executed with great technical skill. The technique used by the Picchiarini workshop evolved from simple, linear geometric patterns to sophisticated designs, like the windows in the Rose Balcony conceived by Paschetto in 1920, in which the decorative motif is characterised by an elegant graphism and exceptional compositional freedom.