When I was in Europe this summer I had the opportunity to visit many churches. One of which, Notre Dame, is known for its particularly incredible Rose window, made of stone and colored glass. As I was searching through my photos the other day I was reminded what an important role light plays in these old churches. The colored class effected the way light streams into the church, both dimming and changing the quality of light. Additionally, these sacred spaces are dark, requiring the viewers eyes to adjust to the interior space. These early visual effects helped to transport a person from everyday life and into a space of worship. Many of these same techniques can also be seen in Byzantine churches, where candlelight was used in conjunction with gold mosaic tiles to create an otherworldly like space. When I was visiting these spaces, I was awed not only by the architecture, but by the quality of light within, and the way light shines through the colored glass. What was intended as a visual effect years ago continues to awe visitors today.
I had not thought about this for a while that church designers/architects were really early lighting designers - everything contributed to the sense of awe and worship
ReplyDeleteNice post!