Valentin Bousch
Encyclopedia
Valentin Bousch was a master glass artist and a glass painter of the Renaissance
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, near Nancy in 1514. Bousch was active from 1514 to 1520 in Saint-Nicolas-de-Port, where he developed a large glass studio and made many windows for the Saint-Nicolas-de-Port’s basilica. He also made windows for the priory church of Varangéville
on a command of the Bishop of Metz, John IV of Lorraine. On 25 September 1518, Valentin Bousch became the master glazier of the cathedral of Metz
, a city in which he set up a prosperous studio. Bousch made most of the stained glasses of the choir and south transept. In addition, Bousch made several stained glass windows commissioned by the bourgeoisie of Metz for churches, hotels and chapels in the Lorraine countryside.
, where he was the master glazier for many years. What is impressive about Valentin Bousch’s work is how far he pushed the technical limits of the stained glass medium to create striking new Renaissance effects. It remains to be seen just how general such virtuoso motivations were among Renaissance glaziers, because it is seldom that Renaissance stained glass has been studied at close range
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
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His life
The earliest mention of his work is at Saint-Nicolas-de-PortSaint-Nicolas-de-Port
Saint-Nicolas-de-Port is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle département in north-eastern France.Its inhabitants are known asPortois. In the past, the Portois were known as loudmouths; their neighbours across the Meurthe at Varangéville liked to gather on the opposite river bank to bombard them...
, near Nancy in 1514. Bousch was active from 1514 to 1520 in Saint-Nicolas-de-Port, where he developed a large glass studio and made many windows for the Saint-Nicolas-de-Port’s basilica. He also made windows for the priory church of Varangéville
Varangéville
Varangéville is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle département in north-eastern France.Inhabitants of Varangéville are known as Varangévilloiss....
on a command of the Bishop of Metz, John IV of Lorraine. On 25 September 1518, Valentin Bousch became the master glazier of the cathedral of Metz
Metz Cathedral
Saint Étienne de Metz , also known as Metz Cathedral) is a Gothic, Catholic cathedral in the city of Metz, capital of Lorraine, France...
, a city in which he set up a prosperous studio. Bousch made most of the stained glasses of the choir and south transept. In addition, Bousch made several stained glass windows commissioned by the bourgeoisie of Metz for churches, hotels and chapels in the Lorraine countryside.
His work
Examples of his skill can be seen in Metz CathedralMetz Cathedral
Saint Étienne de Metz , also known as Metz Cathedral) is a Gothic, Catholic cathedral in the city of Metz, capital of Lorraine, France...
, where he was the master glazier for many years. What is impressive about Valentin Bousch’s work is how far he pushed the technical limits of the stained glass medium to create striking new Renaissance effects. It remains to be seen just how general such virtuoso motivations were among Renaissance glaziers, because it is seldom that Renaissance stained glass has been studied at close range
Sources
- Michel Herrold, Francis Roussel : Le vitrail en Lorraine : du XIIe au XXe siècle. Ed. Serpenoise, Metz, 1983.
- James Bugslag : Valentin Bousch’s Artistic Practice in the Stained Glass of Flavigny-sur-Moselle, Metropolitan Museum Journal, 33, 1998 (pp. 169–82).
See also
- Metz CathedralMetz CathedralSaint Étienne de Metz , also known as Metz Cathedral) is a Gothic, Catholic cathedral in the city of Metz, capital of Lorraine, France...