Stained glass reached the height of its popularity in the Victorian period. But how did it become so popular and who was involved in this remarkable revival? The enthusiasm for these often exquisite pieces of artwork spread from specialist groups of antiquarians and architects to a much wider section of the Victorian public. By looking at stained glass from the perspective of both glass-painter and patron, and by considering how stained glass was priced, bought and sold, this enlightening study traces the emergence of the market for stained glass in Victorian England. Thus it contains new insights into the Gothic Revival and the relationship between architecture and the decorative arts.Beautifully illustrated with colour plates and black and white illustrations, this book will be valuable to those interested in stained glass and the wider world of Victorian art.

Jim Cheshire is Lecturer in the History of Art and Design at the Lincoln School of Art and Design, University of Lincoln

List of figuresPreface and acknowledgements1. Stained glass and Victorian culture2. Victorian glass-painters and their inheritence3. Glass-painters: John Toms of Wellington4. Glass-painters: the Beer family of Exeter5. Glass-painters: Joseph Bell of Bristol6. Glazing projects: St. Michael and All Angels, Sowton and St. Mary the Virgin, Ottery St. Mary7. The revival of stained glass - how and why the market spread