Stained glass is one of the most striking features of medieval craftsmanship. It turned cold stone churches into spaces filled with colored light, telling stories to anyone who looked up.
This quiz covers the methods and history behind these windows. You will see questions about famous locations, medieval workshops, the chemistry used for colors, and the tools artisans used.
After this, you can learn more about sacred architecture, read up on classic painting techniques, or find quizzes about distinct architectural details.
Which metal oxide is traditionally added to molten glass to produce a brilliant blue color?
Gold chloride
Gold chloride
Iron oxide
Iron oxide
Cobalt oxide
Cobalt oxide
Copper oxide
Copper oxide
What material was traditionally used to create the ‘cames’ that hold pieces of colored glass together?
Iron
Iron
Copper
Copper
Lead
Lead
Aluminum
Aluminum
During which century did the Gothic style of stained glass reach its height of popularity in Europe?
11th century
11th century
13th century
13th century
12th century
12th century
14th century
14th century
What was the most common subject matter depicted in medieval stained glass windows?
Roman mythology
Roman mythology
Scientific treatises
Scientific treatises
The Bible
The Bible
Local folklore
Local folklore
Which French city is world-renowned for its Gothic cathedral containing some of the best-preserved medieval stained glass?
Amiens
Amiens
Bourges
Bourges
Reims
Reims
Chartres
Chartres
In which city can you find the Sainte-Chapelle, famous for its walls that are almost entirely made of stained glass?
Paris
Paris
Toulouse
Toulouse
Lyon
Lyon
Bordeaux
Bordeaux
What metallic oxide is traditionally added to glass to achieve a deep blue color?
Manganese oxide
Manganese oxide
Cobalt oxide
Cobalt oxide
Iron oxide
Iron oxide
Copper oxide
Copper oxide
What substance is painted onto glass pieces to create details, such as facial features, and then fired in a kiln?
Oil varnish
Oil varnish
Vitreous paint
Vitreous paint
Acrylic glaze
Acrylic glaze
Watercolor wash
Watercolor wash
The designs for early medieval stained glass windows were often inspired by the aesthetic of which other art form?
Illuminated manuscripts
Illuminated manuscripts
Tapestries
Tapestries
Fresco paintings
Fresco paintings
Wood carvings
Wood carvings
What is the function of an ‘armature’ in a large stained glass window?
To add structural strength
To add structural strength
To reflect sound within the church
To reflect sound within the church
To change the color of the glass
To change the color of the glass
To block light completely
To block light completely
What light source was intended to illuminate stained glass and visually transform the interior space of a church?
Candlelight
Candlelight
Reflected moonlight
Reflected moonlight
Sunlight
Sunlight
Oil lamps
Oil lamps
Which historical period’s increased trade and travel helped circulate the techniques for making vibrant colored glass?
The Great Schism of 1054
The Great Schism of 1054
The Black Death
The Black Death
The Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution
The Crusades
The Crusades
What is the term for the large, circular, multi-petaled stained glass windows frequently found in Gothic cathedrals?
Oculus window
Oculus window
Rose window
Rose window
Clerestory window
Clerestory window
Lancet window
Lancet window
What is the name for the style of monochrome or near-monochrome stained glass painting that uses subtle shades of grey?
Copper foil technique
Copper foil technique
Grisaille painting
Grisaille painting
Acid etching
Acid etching
Sandblasting
Sandblasting
What is the traditional name for a skilled craftsman who specializes in the fitting and installation of glass?
A stonemason
A stonemason
A potter
A potter
A blacksmith
A blacksmith
A glazier
A glazier
What was the primary educational purpose of medieval stained glass in a religious context?
To act as a ‘poor man’s Bible’ for the illiterate
To act as a ‘poor man’s Bible’ for the illiterate
To scare away evil spirits from the sanctuary
To scare away evil spirits from the sanctuary
To display royal genealogies for the nobility
To display royal genealogies for the nobility
To serve as a secret map for pilgrims
To serve as a secret map for pilgrims
What process is known as ‘silver staining’ in stained glass production?
Purple tones from manganese dioxide
Purple tones from manganese dioxide
Red flashes created by copper layerings
Red flashes created by copper layerings
Yellow coloration from silver nitrate
Yellow coloration from silver nitrate
Green tints from sulfur compounds
Green tints from sulfur compounds
In what type of specialized oven is stained glass fired to fuse paint onto the surface?
Oven
Oven
Forge
Forge
Smelter
Smelter
Kiln
Kiln
What is the purpose of applying ‘putty’ or ‘cement’ between the glass and the lead cames?
To make the glass easier to cut
To make the glass easier to cut
To enhance the color of the glass
To enhance the color of the glass
To prevent the lead cames from corroding
To prevent the lead cames from corroding
To waterproof the panel and secure the glass in place
To waterproof the panel and secure the glass in place
Which of these was historically the most difficult detail to achieve when painting on stained glass?
Geometric patterns
Geometric patterns
Abstract modern shapes
Abstract modern shapes
Surreal landscapes
Surreal landscapes
Highly realistic portraits
Highly realistic portraits
What was the purpose of a ‘cartoon’ in the medieval stained glass workshop?
To measure the window opening
To measure the window opening
To sketch the preliminary design for the patron
To sketch the preliminary design for the patron
To act as a life-size template for cutting glass
To act as a life-size template for cutting glass
To keep records of the glass formula used
To keep records of the glass formula used
Which English cathedral is famous for housing the ‘Great East Window’, the single largest expanse of medieval stained glass in the country?
Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral
York Minster
York Minster
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