Lathyrus Odoratus

By lathyrus

Rhapsody in blue

Another rather grey day so I've headed inside again on a trip to St Paul's Church at Bledlow Ridge and another John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens collaboration. This is possibly one of Piper's most intriguing windows comprising three main lights and three quatrefoils above. The design runs through the lights in varying shades of blue with what might be plant or human-like shapes and spirals of red, black and white. My photo shows the right-hand light (I was unable to photograph the window as a whole on this visit but will try again another day). 

The window was installed in 1968 and has been subject to various interpretations. Does it depict another world in space or under the sea? Is it a representation of Heaven? is that Cow Parsley? and so forth. I have no idea, or rather, I have too many ideas, but I am reminded that Piper himself said that the whole purpose of stained glass was to qualify light and bring atmosphere to a space, not necessarily to produce a message.   

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