Europe - Architectural Elements

Gorgeous handpainted tiles with 3 different images of a pink flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus Pallas). The tiles are hand painted and handmade in Italy...

Certainly the most impressive antique door knocker on 1stdibs. This marvelously finest handcrafted and amazing condition antique door knocker is another one of our recent great finds. Can you imagine this fine bronze eagle head on your door? Having this gorgeous bronze door knocker made as the finishing touch, would have made this a real statement piece, and it still will be. Mind you, with a unique and all hand-crafted bronze door knocker of this size, quality and beauty suddenly in your face and you too would be impressed when showing up at this front door. Especially with the fierce looking eagle holding the wreath knocker in his beak staring at you. They really don't make 'em like this anymore and we are proud to be able to offer it to the 1stdibs community in such amazing condition. Mind you, our price for this unique antique bronze door knocker...

Beautiful collection of 3 zinc flame roof finials. France, circa 1850-1900. Weathered, small losses. Measurement is individual and of the largest. H:32/44cm W:18,5cm D:cm

Extremely rare and elegant Mid-Century Modern double push & pull door handles in Murano glass with gold layer. Real vintage gems. Probably designed by Archimede Seguso for Seguso Vet...

Roger Tallon (1929-2011) Model M400 Spiral staircase Polished cast aluminum Date of creation: 1966 SENTOU 2019 edition Height: 3.73 m and 80 cm Diameter: 110 cm Each step: 50 cm x 8...

Several pcs. exceptional antique wall tiles, Société des Pavillions, Florennes (S.A. des Pavillions). Beautiful quality. The dimensions per tile are 5,9inch (15 cm) × 5,9 inch (15 c...

Bronze pull handles are suitable for drawers, cupboards and any type of cabinet furniture,. The design is inspired by vintage leather handles on suitcases with a textured surface bu...

Very happy to offer this amazing French louis XIV fireplace mantel. The mantel is made from striking Italian Bardiglio grey marble, this ni...

This is a large set of 350 antique French handmade ceramic tiles. Manufactured by Devres, circa 1920s. Colorful pattern in yellow, red and green. These tiles would be charming displa...

Four Arts and Crafts cast iron radiator covers or console tables were made by The Liverpool and Macclesfield Cast Iron Co in the 1860s. Pleas...

French style wrought iron greenhouse with doors and windows that open outwards in white color. Ready for glass panels to be installed.

Pair of small double door handles in solid glass hand blown Sommerso Murano glass with centre in chocolate brown and outer ring in clear glass fitted to a chrome sleeve attributed to...

Beautiful handcarved giltwood baroque ornament that once adorned a chapel or a church. Italy, circa 1750. Weathered/ small losses. Measurement includes the wooden base. H:42,5cm W:2...

Beautiful gilded ornament. Well detailed with baroque fruit. Spain circa 1650-1750 Weathered, small losses Measurement here below of the largest piece and includes the wooden pedes...

A set of 2 solid brass water faucets. Both tested and in working order and both come with original hose connectors. Made in Europe, probably Scandinavian/Sweden during the 1930s. You...

Mixed handmade tiles in rich brown, green and yellow glazed colors. Manufactured around 1920 by Gilliot Hemiksem, Belgium. These tiles would be charming displayed on easels, framed o...

Beautiful and rare decorative zinc item that once graced a facade, France, circa 1850-1900 Weathered and small losses but despite of its age in a good condition Measurement here belo...

Elegant French Vintage Fireplace surround. Small fireplace surround in a timeless beige limestone from the Louis Philippe period, 19th cent...

Rare French mid century architectural areator ventilation panel in aluminum by Jean Prouvé for C.I.M.T in France, 1950s. In great original condition with the original string to open ...

Beautiful door knocker made of patinated bronze. It is not an old production, it is a work made by a Spanish master craftsman/artist in his foundry. I do not know the number of piece...

Beautiful hand forged iron wheat, chalice and grapes religious Eucharistic wall Pediment, Spain, 1940s. This finely hand-hammered unique crest / cornice ...

Many Avant Garde architects and designers of the 1960s / 70s became fascinated with the idea of minimal living, a secluded retreat, escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and relaxation in the middle of nature. Thanks to new pliable materials, plastics, with their free and easy formability, lightness and especially their novelty, they developed micro bungalows and houses as either secondary vacation homes or for use in gardens. Italian developer Carlo Zappa undertook the challenge of designing and producing such a micro bungalow which eventually became commonly known as 'BANGA' .The first models rolled off the production line in 1971 and went through three production phases before production eventually ceased in 1985. Carlo Zappa not only developed the initial project, but personally executed the moulds, construction solutions, all the services detailing ie electrical, plumbing and metal hardware. Zappa's micro bungalow featured a total of 8.1 square meters of floor space. It offered space for up to three people thanks to a bunk bed, which could be folded down as a sofa during the day. A small bathroom with wash basin, shower / toilet, a small kitchen unit with sink and water heater...

Wrought iron balustrade - price is per unit - Width excluding fixings is 98.5cm - One piece weighs approximately 9Kg

Beautiful handcarved giltwood floral ornaments that once adorned a chapel .Original period pieces that due their high age have a wonderful wea...

This is an amazing and unique set of 410 antique French handmade ceramic tiles. Manufactured by Devres, circa 1910s. Stylized design. Notice that each pattern consists of 4 separate ...

Beautiful Art Nouveau tiles, with an image of a flower in relief. The gorgeous red-brown color is glazed. Manufactured around 1930 by, Societé Morialmé, Belgium. The dimensions per t...

"Ondes" Sunbreak Panel (c.1960) by Jean Prouvé This rare piece features two painted wooden uprights equipped with Prouvé's patented clamping system, supporting corrugated and perfor...

A rare opportunity to acquire this exquisite panelled room with original wall fabric, circa 1912. This room was designed by Jac. van den Bosch (1868-1948), the wall fabric was design...

Article: Door push element Origin: Belgium Design producer: Juliette Belarti Material: metal and ceramics Decade: 1970s Description: This original vintage door push...

Italian Giltwood Lion Pediment, 18th Century – Hand-Carved Antique Décor Bring a sense of grandeur and old-world craftsmanship to your interior with this 18th Century Italian Giltwo...

A large and impressive Brutalist bronze door handle with tree bark design, together with matching keyhole plate and letterbox cover. European, se...

An unusual set of 49 Delft style tiles manufactured by renowned English fireplace makers Bratt Colbran of London. Dating from circa 1920, these reclaimed 3 inch fireplace tiles showcase a smooth white colour detailed with various blue scenes of figures and floral designs incorporating Victorian and Georgian styles. The perfect set to be used as a decorative panel or a impressive splash back...

Pair of antique wood carved Gothic Revival architectural Columns Anonymous 19th century; Belgium or Netherlands Wood Approximate size: 41.75 (h) x 11.75 (w) x 11.75 (d) in. An exceptional pair of tall and intricate hand carved vintage wooden 19th century church columns...

11 of the 30 sets of 4 f unique antique tiles, with a beautiful Art Deco pattern manufactured around 1930 by Céramiques d 'Hemixem, Gilliot Frères, circa 1940, Belgium. The dimensio...

Beautiful handcarved giltwood floral ornament that once adorned a chapel .Original period piece that due it’s high age has a wonderful weather...

Art Nouveau push and pull door handles in the shape of two water nymphs, originally from spa in the Alps. Original large handles express the water nymphs carrying water jugs on their...

Heavy Gothic Lion’s Mask Brass Door Knocker This is a superb door knocker, the handsome Lion’s Head is at the centre and the heavy outer ring lifts and lands on the striking plat...

44 pcs of colorful wall tiles with image in relief. Art Nouveau/Jugendstil manufactured in Belgium, Europe early 20th century. The tiles show an image of a yellow flower on light blu...

Spectacular and Amazing French Louis XVI style fireplace mantel in beautiful Italian Carrara white marble. This mantel is decorated with exquisite and exuberant carvings, with a b...

Small and elegant white marble Louis XVI fireplace mantel. Lovely original conditions with some dicoloring in the topsheld. Would be perfect for a...

Pair of early 20th century stone garden lion pedestals circa 1920. Here we have a great pair of architectural stone lions which act as pedestals for a low garden bench with the addi...

A large lateral push-pull door handle of abstract Brutalist design. European, second half 20th century. A striking piece - made to span the full width of a door - formed from cast ...

This antique fireplace is a rare piece in Breche Médicis marble, crafted in the 19th century. It features an elegant design in the Louis XVI style and comes with its original cast ir...

An attractive pair of reclaimed weathered composition stone ball pier caps on stands, mid 20th Century in date. Condition: In good condition. As vintage items, the pieces show signs...

A ceramic wall panel by Pierre Digan, to La Borne, circa 1970-1975. The base is in wood. Very good original conditions.  

George Smith and Co. The Sun Foundry, Glasgow, attributed. A Gothic Revival cast iron gate with both side railings in the style of Dr C Dresser with all-over Geometric decoration. Re...

Nice French Campagnard style fireplace mantel in lovely limestone. This mantel comes from central France, burgundy area. Its perfect size makes it possible to install this mantel in ...

This is an amazing brass door handle from the late 1930s, imported from a Milanese apartment. Its attributed to Gio Ponti but it also echoes references of Timo Sarpaneva, Ilmari Tap...

Great quality, forged in fire, castle design candle chandelier / pendant light. This finer quality and all hand-forged, eight-light chandelier comes with some really beautiful detai...

This is an amazing set of antique Art Nouveau handmade tiles with an image of yellow rose in relief on a soft yellow background. These tiles would be charming displayed on easels, fr...

Spectacular rectangular tabletop with fossil-inlays in style of Heinz Lilienthal. This offer contains just the tabletop, no base. You have to bulid/organize your own base for this Be...

France / 16th century / set of 20 castle keys / metal / Antique / Rustic Rare charming set of 20 Antique keys from the 16th century, France. A beautiful ...

1 of the 24 blue and white sunflower tiles. The floral tiles are handmade and hand painted in Europe, Italy. These tiles are particularly beautiful, the biscuit is handmade and the ...

Two 19th century polychrome cast iron dormer windows in very good condition Beautiful patina.

A round polychrome Tiffany-style stained glass window panel, Germany, the 1970s. This beautiful and large round window decor or panel features an abstrac...

This is an amazing set of antique Art Nouveau handmade tiles with an image of a laurel wreath in relief in a soft blue, green and yellow. These tiles would be charming displayed on e...

Beautiful antique fireplace mantel (fireplace) with a nice patina, elegant details and in perfect condition. It is a very warm, deep honey colored stone which reflects the light in t...

Laced blankets, crochet throws and knitted mantles are at the heart of Gaudí. Handmade is the focal point to the Gaudí tile, where soft lines create a we...

The Color Experience: Stained-glass windows “Color is a power which directly influences the soul” (Wassili Kandinsky, Moskou 1866 – Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1944) “Color! What a deep and mysterious language, the language of dreams!” (« La couleur ! Quelle langue profonde et mystérieuse, le langage des rêves », Paul Gauguin, Paris, 1848-Fatu-Hiva, 1903) ‘Color and feeling’, ‘color and meaning’, these are concepts that have gone together since time immemorial. Artists and craftsmen have a special bond with color. After all, it is a means of expression that can have a real reinforcing effect. Especially linking color with light offers unlimited possibilities. Glaziers and glass painters have tried to master both these ‘instruments’ for centuries. The set of beautifully restored neo-Gothic windows in our collection are enough reason for us to let these works of art figure in a broader story. As a bonus, we would like to introduce you to the contemporary stained-glass artist and stained-glass restorer, Daniël Theys. whose workshop is in Sint-Pieters-Rode (Belgium). He talked to us about the materials and techniques he used for the restoration of our set of neo-Gothic stained-glass windows. A fascinating look at the tricks of the trade from a specialist! A bird’s eye view of the history of the European stained-glass window. Although the Romans already used translucent glass plates to cover wall openings, the stained-glass window reached its peak in Europe between 1150 and 1500. A period also known as the era of the cathedrals. At that time, stained-glass windows became more than just a way to let in the light, and to keep the space closed off. From now on, their functionality was also found in their didactic value. The biblical and saints’ stories that adorned the stained-glass windows became a kind of poor man’s bible. They brought, as it were, the knowledge of the holy scriptures in an understandable, pictorial way. At the same time, the colored light provided additional symbolism. The invading light was interpreted as a manifestation of God. It is also no coincidence that the main altar was bathed in light. It was the place where the most important sacrament was celebrated, that of the Eucharist. How were these magical colors obtained? Well, during the 12th and 13th centuries, metal oxides gave color to the glass. Copper, for example, produced different colors in the various stages of oxidation. The metal could color the glass light blue, green and even red. It should be noted that from the 13th century onwards, clear glass, which was cheaper and at the same time allowed more light into the buildings, was used more often. A century later, in the years 1400 to 1500, glass painters frequently painted onto the glass with a ‘stain’ of silver chloride or sulfide. The painted piece of glass was heat-treated in a furnace. The heating process ensured that the silver ions migrated into the glass and became suspended within the glass network. The stain gave colors ranging from a pale yellow to a rather deep red. This new technique allowed glaziers to get more than one color on a single glass fragment. The shades produced by painting in silver chloride were well suited for depicting golden crowns, scepters and other gilded objects and ornaments. But the most important advantage of the technique was the fact that the glass painter could now make transitions from yellow tones to white without having to apply separations with lead strips! This also improved the legibility of the pictured scene. You can imagine that the labor-intensive process of the production of stained-glass windows was a very costly affair and therefore it was often patrons who donated them to a church or a chapel. The benefactors were usually eager to propagate their social status and were moved by concern for their salvation. In the 16th century, stained-glass windows also began to appear in secular buildings such as town halls, the homes of the wealthy and commercial premises such as inns. It is striking that during this period the use of lead strips that border many parts of the image was further reduced in favor of real painting on stained glass. This was due to an increasing love of detail. For example, one wanted realistically painted portrait heads. Working with enamel paints was cumbersome. Each newly applied color had to be burned into the glass before another color or overpainting could be applied. It was not only the coloring of the glass that was complicated, the process of obtaining flat glass plates required many steps as well. The glazier blew a glass bulb with a blowpipe and then cut it open. Finally, each half of the sphere was turned around so fast that it became a disc. In later periods, the glazier blew out his glass bulb into a cylinder. Once the cylinder had cooled, its closed ends were removed, and the long sides were cut open. The pieces of glass obtained were then heated and flattened. During the 16th century, there was a division of labor between the stained-glass designer, the glazier, and the glass painter. It happened as well that the stained-glass artist used prints as models for his stained-glass windows. Whoever drew the design, the glazier always needed a model on the right scale, the so-called cartoon. On the cartoon, the lead strips were clearly marked, and the use of colors was indicated. Contracts at the time show that the price of stained-glass windows was calculated per square foot. The price per square foot included the labor and material costs. The price of the cartoon was not included. In the 17th century, the work of glass painters remained important. At the same time, there was a growing popularity of stained-glass windows with heraldic themes. In the Low Countries there were several high-quality glass painters active. During the 18th century, glass painting went downhill in our regions. The French occupation of the Southern Netherlands resulted in the destruction and sale of religious stained-glass windows. It was only around the middle of the 19th century that the young Belgian state experienced a revival of stained glass. The renewed interest in the Middle Ages, the so-called ‘gothic revival’, caused a wave of restoration of old stained-glass windows of churches and orders for neo-gothic stained-glass windows. The Sint-Lucas art schools in Belgium played an important role in this. Industrial developments in the glass and steel industries naturally had an important hand in the popularity of stained-glass windows. Stained-glass had a wide range of uses; think of stained glasses in winter gardens, domes, windows, and doors of large mansions. Significant glazier’ studios arose in several larger Belgian cities. In Brussels, for example, you had the workshops of Capronnier and Colpaert, in Bruges the studios of Coucke and Dobbelaere, in Ghent the companies of Ganton-Defoin or Ladon. During the 19th century, glaziers followed the style developments in the visual arts. For example, the number of windows in Art Nouveau and Art Deco style is large. The restored stained-glass windows with male and female saints that we offer for sale, come from a building in Laeken, near Brussels. They probably decorated the space of a church, chapel, convent, or Catholic school. In the results of the interview with glass restorer Daniël Theys, you will learn more about the particularities of these splendid windows. Chatting and browsing in the workshop of Daniël Theys The Belgian Glass restorer and glass blower, Daniël Theys (), made a career switch at a later age and has been active in the profession since 1987. He is an important player in the field of stained-glass window art in Belgium. Moreover, he is the only one in the country who still masters the technique of glass etching. Daniël Theys receives many commissions from small parish churches to restore old stained-glass windows to their former glory. He made a name for himself in that niche and that is how Spectandum brought the set of 19th century stained glass windows to his workshop for reconstruction. They were delivered in old numbered wooden crates and Daniel had to start puzzling. Numbered wooden crates with sections of the stained-glass windows Normally a glazier starts working from a drawing with a scale of 1:1 (full size drawing), but in this case each piece had to be cataloged and photographed. The smaller pieces were grouped on the light box and photographed in their entirety. Then Daniël made a drawing of the remaining pieces that he had puzzled together with great care. Smaller pieces identified and grouped on the light box The restauration guidelines of the Agency for Monuments and Landscapes are not always the same as those of a restorer. For this reconstruction, Daniël primarily considered the purpose of the stained-glass windows. It had to be an aesthetic and salable set of stained-glass windows, so the choice of filling the gaps with neutral glass or epoxy was not really an option. Theys left well-executed previous restorations untouched. The windows may have been repaired three or four times in the past. Piece of a cloak with glass shards from different periods (restorations) Another problem Daniel faced during the restoration was the fact that some small parts of the old grisaille had been eaten away by microorganisms. The defect – caused by moisture – can be seen from the discoloration of the grisaille. The black-brown color is turned red. This fragment shows well how the brown grisaille has turned red due to the attack of micro-organisms The stained-glass windows of the 19th century are made of ‘in the mass-colored’ glass. This means that the colors were added to the liquid glass during its production process. This type of glass differs from glass colored with enamel paint, which became popular from the interwar period. The latter process involves applying enamel paint (this is a glass powder with a metal oxide to which a medium has been added) to the colorless glass. When firing the glass with the enamel paint, the powder fuses with the glass. The colors of email painted glass are less intense and less brilliant than those of ‘in the mass-colored glass’. Jars with colored powder for the enamel paints For the restoration Daniël only worked with mouth-blown glass, both with ‘in the mass-colored glass’ and with ‘verre plaqué’. This is blown glass composed of several layers of different shades. Over the years, Theys built up a large stock of old blown glass. Colored blown glass always has sliding shades. For example, a red piece of glass can have a color transition from bright red to light orange. These differences in shades are the result of the different thicknesses of the piece of glass. It allows the glazier to use a wide variety of shades. The purple-red foliage with light blue accents was obtained by etching away parts of a piece ‘verre plaqué’. A small part of the lower glass layer is exposed. The windows were completely re-leaded by the restorer because there was virtually no ‘lead net’ preserved. In general, lead strips only have a limited lifespan because of oxidation processes. Daniël removed the old lead remnants and placed new lead profiles. Then he applied putty between the glass fragments and the lead strips to seal the lead. A window must be made watertight. The current condition of the windows is excellent. Decorative glass part with original lead remnants New lead strip The set of stained-glass windows we present today, originally consisted of windows of 5 to 6 m high. After all, they originally adorned a neo-gothic church. Since the original dimensions are not suitable for private buildings, it was decided to only restore the figurative representation. The original spire of one of the windows Thanks to a suspension eye, the window can be hung. There is also the possibility to place the window in an upright position. Thanks to the craftsmanship of the Theys-Studio, we can once again enjoy the brilliance of color! Looking for the missing link The set of 19th-century stained-glass windows came into the possession of Spectandum without a clear provenance. The renowned Leuven antiques dealer, Cornelius Engelen, recalls that the windows came from a church in Laeken. There is no solid starting point for a search for the provenance. Based on the style of the stained-glass windows – most probably the late 19th century -, their religious iconography, and their original shape (pointed arch windows) and dimensions (5 to 6 cm high), we can assume that they were once displayed in a (neo-)gothic cult building. On the one hand, the stained-glass windows may have been removed after storm damage or other calamities, on the other they may have been taken away during a renovation or a demolition of a church. The Church of Our Lady in Laeken is the most famous church building in that municipality that could qualify. In the early 1920s, the central windows of the transept were badly damaged by a hurricane. Today, glass fragments of these windows (dating from 1893-1894) with the names of the sixteen missing saints and an arch infill of the western window are officially known. It would be interesting to find out if our set of eight saints once were part of the transept of Our Lady in Laeken. Research in the records of the church administrators could provide clarification. Knowing that most neo-gothic stained-glass windows from the Church of Our Lady come from the Jules Dobbelaere’s glass studio in Bruges, it is useful to consult that company’s archive as well. It is kept in the KADOC (Documentation and research center for religion, culture and; in Leuven. Of course, the sizes and shape of the stone window openings of the transept can also provide an indication. If we stylistically compare the grisailles of the set of stained-glass windows with the work of Jules Dobbelaere, we do see some relationship. Especially with a stained-glass window in the chapel of Our Lady of the Saint Anthony Church in Aalst. Another line of research that we could follow, is that of the iconography of the series. One of the saints depicted is Saint Roch. There once was a Saint-Roch church in Laeken with 19th-century stained-glass windows from the Brussels studio of Jean-Baptiste Capronnier. The company archive of the glaziers François and Jean-Baptiste Capronnier is owned by the Flemish government and can be consulted in the above-mentioned KADOC. We already searched the sales catalog of 1892, in which Capronnier’s drawings and cartoons are described one by one. The saints that are represented in our set of windows, does not correspond with the names of the saints mentioned for the church of St. Roch in Laeken. Building on this argument, it can be concluded that the eight saints were not destined for this house of worship. In the absence of lavishly illustrated monographs on the various glazier-companies in Belgium, the execution of a comparative study of the stained-glass windows is time-consuming and complex. Although a limited number of old photos of stained-glass windows can still be found in the database ‘Balat’ of the KIK-IRPA (), this remains far too limited to get a good picture of the output of the various companies. 19th C, Saint, Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Window with Saint Martin, Belgium, 163 x 73 cm Most people know Saint Martin (Szombathely, ca. 316 – Candes, 397) as the Roman Tribune who cut his cloak in two with his sword and gave one half to a beggar. The artist of the stained-glass window has opted for a different, less common iconographic representation here. Saint Martin is presented as a bishop with a miter and staff. According to a legend, Martin was lured to the city of Tours with a trick to consecrate him as a bishop. He refused the ecclesiastical office and hid in a barn with some geese. The birds betrayed him with their twittering. In the end Martin received his episcopal consecration. The goose at the feet of the saint clearly refers to this event. 19th C, Saint, Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Window with St. Angela, Belgium, 163 x 73 cm Angela de Merici was an Italian woman who taught young women religion, health care, and household skills. She founded the monastic community of the Ursulines. They played an important social role as founders of schools and orphanages. Saint Angela died in Brescia in 1540. It should therefore come as no surprise that the saint on the stained-glass-window is depicted with a girl by her side. 19th C, Saint, Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Window with Charles Borromeo, Belgium, 163 x 73 cm Charles Borromeo (Milan, 1538-1584) grew up in a noble family. He was already made Cardinal and Archbishop of Milan at the age of 24. With his writings he contributed to the implementation of the Church reforms determined at the Council of Trent. Among other things, he released a new catechism. With his book on the design of church buildings, “Instructiones Fabriacae et Supellectilis Ecclesiasticae”, he left a mark on Baroque church construction. At the outbreak of the plague in his diocese in 1576, he devoted himself to the care of those affected. Hence, people sometimes pray to him when they have been hit by a serious illness. 19th C, Saint, Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Window with St. Roch, Belgium, 163 x 73 cm Saint Roch (Montpellier, 1295? /1350? -1327? /1380?) was born with a port-wine stain in the shape of a cross on his left hip. It was interpreted as a sign from God. After the dead of his parents, he gave his money to the poor and went on to live the life of pilgrim. He cared for plague sufferers and healed some of them by making a sign of the cross. He is especially invoked as protector against the plague. 19th C, Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Window with St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Belgium, 163 x 73 cm Bernard of Clairvaux (Fontaines, 1090-Clairvaux, 1153) decided to become a monk at the age of 21. In 1112 he entered in the monastery of Cîtaux. He was soon commissioned by the abbot to find a new monastery in Clairvaux. Because of his intellectual capacities and eloquence, he was consulted by various ecclesiastical and secular leaders. He ensured the expansion of the Cistercian order throughout Europe. As a Doctor of the Church, he wrote many tracts and sermons and established a new rule for the Templars. Above all, he was concerned with the discipline of the clergy. Therefore, he wrote a spiritual manual for the priests and bishops. Saint Bernard can be seen as a true mystic. He envisioned the union of the human soul with God as the most important goal in life. According to a legend, Bernard once had a vision in which the Blessed Virgin appeared to him and strengthened him with her mother’s milk. In the arts, the saint is mainly depicted with an abbot’s staff and a book with the Cistercian rule. His vision was also often portrayed. 19th C, Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Window with St. John Berchmans, Belgium, 163 x 73 cm The Belgian Jan Berchmans (Diest, 1599-Rome, 1621) was the eldest of five children. When his mother became seriously ill, he initially took care of her, but at the age of nine he was housed with the town’s priest. After a few years he moved to Mechelen to become the servant of a canon. It also gave him the opportunity to begin his studies in the seminary for priests. He eventually joined the Jesuits of Mechelen. He got their permission to study philosophy in Rome. In the Eternal City, he visited working-class neighbourhoods to teach the children about God. He died of an illness at the age of 22. Saint Jan Berchmans is the patron saint of school children and students. 19th C, Neo-Gothic Stained-Glass Window with Saint Clare...

An exceptional pair of Arts and Crafts hand-hammered and hand-wrought iron gates with scrolling floral decoration to the top with some of the widest tight scroll work decoration I ha...