Recently on a road trip to Dubuque, my friend and I decided to begin our day in church. St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, built in 1896, is on the National Register of Historical Places for its architecture, its history in the region, and its Tiffany glass. We were interested in seeing the Tiffany glass.
Louis C. Tiffany (1848-1933) was a world renown artist. He created his own unique glass, which he used to make spectacular windows, lamps and more.
His windows are made of multi-layers of glass, with iridescence/opulence qualities and deep, rich colors.
“Tiffany believed that this new material (his new creation and technique) … enabled form to be defined by the glass itself rather than by painting onto the glass.” The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art
There is much to learn about this artist’s glass and his magnificent works. Click here for more information: Tiffany Glass.
To see this display of Tiffany windows in St. Luke’s was a treat. The church is open to the public for viewing the Tiffany windows during the week, and offers weekly church services on Sunday.
There was a short 11-minute video clip we watched as we sat surrounded by these beautiful glass windows.
The windows had been meticulously restored a few years ago at the cost of $40,000 per window.
There were also three Tiffany glass chandeliers in the church. There were even Tiffany glass windows in the restrooms!
In the Midwest, there are only a few places that have Tiffany glass windows. We were grateful one of those places was Dubuque, Iowa.
As we left the sanctuary, we noticed a sign that read, “If you think our windows are beautiful…you should meet our people!”
What a pleasant way to start our day.