Stained Glass Windows

Sanders Theatre

Felton Window in Sanders Theatre:
Athena Decorating Funerary Column

Artist: John La Farge

Manufacturer: John La Farge

Date: 1899

Type: Plated opalescent

Funded by: Mary S. Felton

Mary S. Felton provided funds for a window in memory of her father, Cornelius Conway Felton, Professor of Greek at Harvard from 1832-1860, and President of Harvard from 1860-1862. On the left half of the window is an ivory column, the bottom half smooth and the upper half fluted. It is topped by an Ionic capital, just below which is tied a long strip of blue cloth. This must represent what the Greeks called a tainia, a strip of cloth used as a mark of honor with magical potency to decorate corpses, urns of ashes, and tombs. The column, therefore, is a funerary one. On the right half of the window stands Athena, a symbol of Greek learning for which Felton was distinguished. Athena wears on her breast a gold ornament, and on her head a bronze Greek helmet with a plume, neckpiece, and cheekguards. She has her arms stretched out, with the right arm behind and somewhat above the left, so as to tie the knot of cloth. Inscribed in the lower border of the window are the words “IN MEMORY OF C C FELTON.”

Photographed by: Stephen Sylvester and Yosi A.R-Pozeilov
Digital Imaging and Photography Group Harvard College Libraries

Transept

South Transept Window:
Knight, St. Martin and the Beggar, Inscription, Sidney at Zutphen, Scholar.

Artist: Sarah Wyman Whitman

Manufacturer: Sarah Wyman Whitman

Date: 1898

Type: Plated Opalescent

Funded by: Martin Brimmer (Class of 1849)

Given in memory of the “sons of Harvard” who gave their lives in the Civil War and whose names are recorded in the tablets in the transept. The window was designed by the artist “to commemorate the forces which inspired these heroes. Love of the University is symbolized, at one end of the five lower panels, by the Scholar; and at the other end, Love of Country, by the Soldier. Above these are four cherubs holding tablets inscribed with the heroic virtues (Amor, Honor, Virtvs, Patientia = Love, Honor, Courage, Patience); and higher still are angelic figures of praise, while the design culminates in a Rose, wherein the ascription of Glory to God is typified in color, with a choir of angels circling round the center.” This circular window or rose at the top consists of a central rose of dark red and blue glass in floral patterns. Sixteen small circles around this show angels playing musical instruments. In the lower corners of the triangular upper portion of the window are two roundels with angels holding ribbons. The ribbons read “NON NOBIS DOMINE NON NOMIS * SED NOMINE TVO GLORIA SIT” = “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to thy name may there be glory.” The window also contains the VE-RI-TAS shield of Harvard and a long Latin inscription that translates to, “Greetings whoever art present. Thou seest the names of those men of Harvard who, fervent youths or men of more mature counsel, sought death that the state [or the Republic] might remain whole. Those (institutions or principles) which they, by dying, preserved, do thou cultivate while thou livest so that men among us may be more free, happy, united.”

Photographed by: Steve Rosenthal

Artist: Donald MacDonald

Manufacturer: McPherson

Date: 1874

Type: Painted grisaille

This window has four full rosettes, separating the points of the five lancets. Each rosette contains the word “VERITAS” without any backing Harvard shield. In the five lancets are named ten virtues, two in each lancet on bands crossing to divide them into thirds. The lancets read from left to right as follows:

First:

SPES = Hope

PATIENTIA = Patience

 

Second:

AUTORITAS = Authority

DISCIPLINA = Discipline

 

Third:

MAGNANIMITAS = Magnanimity

CONSTATIA = Constancy [the second N in the Latin is omitted]

 

Fourth:

FORTITUDO = Fortitude

PRUDENTIA = Prudence

 

Fifth:

PROCLITAS = ? [Perhaps PROBITAS = Probity was intended]

TEMPERANTIA = Temperance

Photographed by Steve Rosenthal

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