THE GREEN MAN in STAINED GLASS
UK STAINED GLASS NEWS in 2010
The editor of this web site has to admit to a fascination with The Green Man, particularly where he has been portrayed in Stained Glass.
Antique windows in the right hand column,
Modern in the body of the page below.
A Green Man is a sculpture, drawing or stained glass panel of a face surrounded by (or made from) leaves.
Branches or vines may sprout from the nose, mouth, nostrils or other parts of the face, and these shoots may bear flowers or fruit.
Commonly used as a decorative architectural ornament, Green Men are frequently found on carvings in churches and other buildings (both secular and ecclesiastical).
The Green Man motif has many different faces and variations. Found in many cultures around the world,
he is often related to natural vegetative deities springing up in different cultures throughout the ages.
Primarily he is interpreted as a symbol of rebirth, or "renaissance", representing the cycle of growth being reborn anew each spring.
Superficially the Green Man would appear to be pagan, perhaps a fertility figure or a nature spirit, similar to the woodwose (the wild man of the woods),
and yet he frequently appears, carved in wood or stone, in churches, chapels, abbeys and cathedrals, where examples can be found
dating from the 11th century through to the 20th century.
To the modern observer the earlier (Romanesque and medieval) carvings often have an unnervingly eerie or luminous quality.
This is sometimes said to indicate the vitality of the Green Man, who was able to survive as a symbol of pre-Christian traditions despite,
and at the same time complementary to, the influence of Christianity. Rather than alienate their new converts,
early Christian missionaries would often adopt and adapt local gods, sometimes turning them into obscure saints!
Whatever his original significance may have been, many modern churchgoers are said to characterise the Green Man as "the archetype of our oneness with the earth".
This Green Man designed by Daniel Burke submitted for this page May 2010
Produced by Daniel and Deborah Burke at Lightworks Stained Glass. The work was executed in mouth-blown cylinder glass and has been hand painted, kiln fired and leaded in the traditional manner. It is a display and competition piece.
It is compelling. I own a Victorisan Stone House. This window would make the street view of it amazing.
Another very good Green Man added to this page May 2010
Found on the Down East Stained Glass (U.S.A.) web site by Tony Banfield.
They vote for group winning designs every month, do some free patterns and generally promote stained glass. This Green Man was their winner in February 2004.
My favourite Green Man of all time!
Found on the JohnPiper.org web site by Tony Banfield.
A great blend of modern style with traditional techniques and an amazing design. Unbeatable.
For ages I could not decide, between these two, which was my favourite.
Artisan Stained Glass' own Green Man leaded window (left) was hand painted by Maria King and made by Tom King, owners of ARTISAN, based in Sale, Cheshire,
it was produced for a client in Knutsford, around six years ago.
It still recieves attention on their web site, and deservedly so.
Sunrise Stained Glass, Southsea, have this marvellous window (above, right) on their web site, plus the one below, right.
Derek Commander's Green Man (below, left):
A lady to add to our collection from the web site of
Art of Glass in Cornwall.
The panel of the Green lady was a panel that I made for my home. The face was painted using reuche glass paints,
the outside pieces are leaded glass with leaves and trees sandblasted onto them.
Click on either picture for a larger view.
Tamasine Pritchard'S Green Man
An excellent modern interpretation, except that I do not think he should be smiling. Tamasine Pritchard no longer has a web site.
Added in October 2009. This is Debbie Strand's Green Man.
A modern interpretation with the green man placed as on overlay on the door panel. He has a great expression.
Our September 2009 addition to our Green Man page:
This Green Man was found on the Crafters.org web site. It is by an unknown artist who took a course in early 2009, and this is her first project. He might be a simple Green Man, but he is an amazing piece of work for a first project.
Dan Beal (Paul Lucker Designs) from Elland, West Yorkshire sent us the link to his great creations. The eyes in the Green Man are fascinating!
Click the image for a close up of the eyes, and here for his personal gallery collection.
Dan created his Green Man in the Paul Lucker Designs studio.
Here's a modern Green Man interpretation where the coloured glass is used to illustrate the Green Man, rather than stained (painted) glass.
Found on Debbie Striker's web site
(Virginia, USA).
Two images from Martin Young's web site. These are modern panels, the one on the right traditionally painted, whereas the glass itself does the talking on the left.
Michelle Burnett of Hertfordshire's Green Man
From Holland: José van Weert of Jothi Glass, Erica, has sent us his Green Man
Another excellent modern interpretation. Quite something with his cruel smile.
No web site details to hand.
A different Green Man interpretation.
This one is on a Colombian web site. Its a wall hanging and similar to one or two other Green Men we've seen.
Please note that this listing is not in any particular order, and is not intended to favour any web site. It simply favours the editor's taste.
Any comments on the Message Board.
Any stained glass Green Man or Woman to let us know about? Send the editor an e-mail using the e-mail link on the site manu (bottom left of your screen!)
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Holy Trinity, Long Melford, Suffolk has 15th C windows with two green men, rather beast like.
Found on the Suffolk Gazetteer web site.
To be found in the church at ZEAL MONACHORUM. Beautiful colours surround this 18th century stained glass Green Man. Found on the Green Man in Devon page of the Canterbury Green Man web site.
This Victorian hand painted stained glass panel of the Green Man was found on the Stained Glass page of Cox's Architectural Salvage
Yard. They sold it (in 2007) for 475.00 + V.A.T., a bargain in my view.
It is 23"w x 21"h, and has been restored.
Their web site.
Some more modern interpretations below
Jan Singleton's Green Man is unusual in that he is not looking directly at you. Sent in as a Green Man example, but maybe not originally planned as one. I like him anyway.
Jan's web site...