Christopher Whall

Born in 1849, Christopher Whall became one of the most important stained glass artists of the Arts and Crafts movement. Although he first trained as a painter, he turned to stained glass in the 1880s and built a reputation for treating it as a complete art, from design to the handling of the glass itself.

Whall believed that a window should belong to the building around it, not just fill an opening with decoration. He taught at the Royal College of Art and influenced a younger generation of artists and makers, while also writing Stained Glass Work, a practical book that helped shape later teaching and studio practice.

He died in 1924, but his windows remain a major part of his legacy. They can still be seen in many churches and institutions, where their glowing color and expressive drawing show why he is regarded as a key modern master of stained glass.