We are currently restoring this beautiful plated opalescent glass window, designed by John La Farge in 1884, titled “Parable of the Wise Virgin: Purity”, from the Parish House at Trinity Church in the City of Boston.

The window exhibited severe lead deterioration, numerous cracked pieces of glass and, as often the case in windows by La Farge, some of the glass exhibited a condition known as “crizzling” or “sick glass”.  A condition caused by some deficiency or instability in the chemical makeup of the glass, where either too much alkali or too little lime was used in the manufacturing. It takes a long time, but eventually the salt leaches away, chemical chain reactions occur and the glass deteriorates.

In these cases, new glass has to be custom made to match color, hue, texture etc. We are working with a local glass blower, Peter Houk, in reproducing some of the glass to be replaced.

Enjoy the photos showing the restoration process of this window. We will be updating the photos as the restoration progresses.

Goody Clancy Architects: Jean Carroon and Lisa Howe
Stained Glass Consultant:  Julie Sloan

Trinity Church - Boston, MA
Restoration of 1877 Eugéne Oudinot

In September 2005, Serpentino Stained Glass Studio removed the 60 panels that comprise this triptych designed by the French artist Eugéne Oudinot. Besides the typical amount of soot found on the surface of the glass, the panels had been covered with a black household paint sometime during the 1950’s.

Detail of black paint partially removed

Before & after cleaning

Before & after cleaning and paint replication

This was supposedly done to diffuse some of the bright sun light shinning through the colored glass, as the window faces South and at the time the Hancock tower was not yet built.

Over the years, well intended but ill advised repairs were executed throughout the panels, including smudged silicone to cover cracks and breaks and mismatched painted replacement pieces. The panels were removed, documented and all cracked glass preserved using copper foil, Hxtal epoxy and or a conservation grade silicone. New pieces were painted to replace previously mismatched painted pieces. The lead showed severe deterioration and fatigue, therefore the decision was made to completely relead the panels.

Dennis LaVersa repairing cracked glass with Epoxy

Matthew Fallon replicating painted pieces

The project was completed and reinstalled in February of 2006