The glorious stained and painted
glass windows of the First Presbyterian
Church building at Seventh Street
and Capitol Avenue, Springfield, Illinois,
bear witness to a vibrant Church history.
The windows represent the changing styles
of decorative glass techniques,
developed over the period
between the late nineteenth
and mid-twentieth century,
and they eloquently reflect the faith
of those in whose spiritual tradition
we follow.
First Presbyterian Church’s decision to install memorial
windows in the 1890s reflected a growing religious revival
and a trend of paying tribute to the ministry of church leaders
through colorful windows depicting biblical themes. The Art Nouveau style that became popular during this
period found a shining example in the work of Louis Comfort
Tiffany, who experimented with recreating the brilliance
and excitement of ancient colored glass. His chapel exhibit at
the 1893 World’s Columbian Exhibition earned him awards
and fame, which led to increased commissions for memorial
windows from churches around the country.
The World’s Columbian Exhibition occurred in Chicago,
undoubtedly drawing visits from admiring members of
the Springfield congregation, for in 1895, First Presbyterian
Church received its first Tiffany memorial window.
Installed in 1895, the window on the right may have been the central panel of Tiffany's Chapel at the 1893 World's Columbian Exhibition in Chicago, according to church oral history.
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