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The Resource Spectrum of the spirit : interpreting the material connotations of ecclesiastical stained glass in Charleston, South Carolina, by Valerie J. McCluskey

Spectrum of the spirit : interpreting the material connotations of ecclesiastical stained glass in Charleston, South Carolina, by Valerie J. McCluskey

Creator
Summary
"The City of Charleston is known colloquially as 'The Holy City,' and many of its holy structures display stained glass windows. Long admired for their aesthetic qualities, these stained glass windows are under-examined examples of the city's material culture. A careful reading of these windows has uncovered information about the artifacts themselves and the cultural, religious, and geographic identities of the societies who created and commissioned these windows. This thesis examines how ethnography, religion, and geography influenced the artistic styles and iconography of the stained glass windows of Charleston's ecclesiastical structures and mausoleums. The stained glass windows of Peninsular Charleston create and strengthen cultural group identity in and developing neighborhoods of the city through the first two quarters of the twentieth century. The artistic styles and iconography of Charleston's ecclesiastical stained glass windows create, reflect, and/or strengthen the identities of the historic ethnographic, religious, and geographic groups who occupied these structures. The installation of stained glass windows reveals more about a religious community than if the group was affluent enough to install stained glass. The main conclusion that can be drawn from examining the totals and patterns of artistic style use in Charleston's stained glass windows is that these windows expressed, created, and strengthened the identities of varying ethnographic, religious, and geographic groups. This conclusion is drawn through four major observations, being: the mixing of styles in structures of Episcopal congregations; the possible verbal or visual sharing of artistic ideas or usage of the same stained glass studio by St. John's Reformed Episcopal Church and St. Patrick's Catholic Church; the influence of geographical differences between the city's older neighborhoods south of Spring Street and the younger ones located to the north on the windows' artistic styles; and the use of a particular artistic style to strengthen an identity for Black Charlestonians. Like the artistic styles of Charleston's stained glass windows, the iconography of these windows is another vehicle that varying ethnographic, religious, and geographic groups used to express their identities. This occurred through the following: liturgically conservative denominations relying heavily on iconography and imagery, while more liberal denominations preferred to use design and motif; the verbal sharing of and/or shared stained glass studio and catalogue by congregations in Charleston's Wagener Terrace neighborhood; and the strengthening of identity through shared iconographic imagery in traditionally Black churches of Charleston."--Pages ii-iii
Language
eng
Work
Instance
Label
Spectrum of the spirit : interpreting the material connotations of ecclesiastical stained glass in Charleston, South Carolina
Title
Spectrum of the spirit
Title remainder
interpreting the material connotations of ecclesiastical stained glass in Charleston, South Carolina
Statement of responsibility
by Valerie J. McCluskey
Title variation
Interpreting the material connotations of ecclesiastical stained glass in Charleston, South Carolina
Creator
Subject
Language
eng
Summary
"The City of Charleston is known colloquially as 'The Holy City,' and many of its holy structures display stained glass windows. Long admired for their aesthetic qualities, these stained glass windows are under-examined examples of the city's material culture. A careful reading of these windows has uncovered information about the artifacts themselves and the cultural, religious, and geographic identities of the societies who created and commissioned these windows. This thesis examines how ethnography, religion, and geography influenced the artistic styles and iconography of the stained glass windows of Charleston's ecclesiastical structures and mausoleums. The stained glass windows of Peninsular Charleston create and strengthen cultural group identity in and developing neighborhoods of the city through the first two quarters of the twentieth century. The artistic styles and iconography of Charleston's ecclesiastical stained glass windows create, reflect, and/or strengthen the identities of the historic ethnographic, religious, and geographic groups who occupied these structures. The installation of stained glass windows reveals more about a religious community than if the group was affluent enough to install stained glass. The main conclusion that can be drawn from examining the totals and patterns of artistic style use in Charleston's stained glass windows is that these windows expressed, created, and strengthened the identities of varying ethnographic, religious, and geographic groups. This conclusion is drawn through four major observations, being: the mixing of styles in structures of Episcopal congregations; the possible verbal or visual sharing of artistic ideas or usage of the same stained glass studio by St. John's Reformed Episcopal Church and St. Patrick's Catholic Church; the influence of geographical differences between the city's older neighborhoods south of Spring Street and the younger ones located to the north on the windows' artistic styles; and the use of a particular artistic style to strengthen an identity for Black Charlestonians. Like the artistic styles of Charleston's stained glass windows, the iconography of these windows is another vehicle that varying ethnographic, religious, and geographic groups used to express their identities. This occurred through the following: liturgically conservative denominations relying heavily on iconography and imagery, while more liberal denominations preferred to use design and motif; the verbal sharing of and/or shared stained glass studio and catalogue by congregations in Charleston's Wagener Terrace neighborhood; and the strengthening of identity through shared iconographic imagery in traditionally Black churches of Charleston."--Pages ii-iii
Cataloging source
SXC
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
McCluskey, Valerie J
Dissertation note
Thesis (M.S.H.P.)--Clemson University and College of Charleston, 2014.
Illustrations
  • illustrations
  • maps
  • plans
Index
no index present
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
  • bibliography
  • theses
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Glass painting and staining
  • Stained glass windows
  • Windows
  • Church decoration and ornament
  • Decoration and ornament, Architectural
  • Church architecture
  • Historic buildings
  • Charleston (S.C.)
  • Charleston (S.C.)
  • Christian art and symbolism
Label
Spectrum of the spirit : interpreting the material connotations of ecclesiastical stained glass in Charleston, South Carolina, by Valerie J. McCluskey
Link
http://tigerprints.clemson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2964&context=all_theses
Instantiates
Publication
Note
UMI number: 1557994
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Dimensions
23 cm
Extent
vii, 439 pages
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations (chiefly color), color maps, plans
Label
Spectrum of the spirit : interpreting the material connotations of ecclesiastical stained glass in Charleston, South Carolina, by Valerie J. McCluskey
Link
http://tigerprints.clemson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2964&context=all_theses
Publication
Note
UMI number: 1557994
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Dimensions
23 cm
Extent
vii, 439 pages
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations (chiefly color), color maps, plans

Subject

Library Locations

    • Charleston County Public Library - MainBorrow it
      68 Calhoun Street, Charleston, SC, 29401, US
      32.7883294 -79.9309573

Library Links

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