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IG_365: Stucco and glass window
(AUT_Wien_MAK_IG_365_1)

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Title

Replica of a stucco and glass window with interlaced star ornamentation

Type of Object
Dimensions
114 x 68 x 4.3 cm (with frame, approximate thickness of the window); 106.5 x 60.4 x 4 cm (without frame, approximate thickness of the window)
Artist / Producer
Place of Manufacture
Dating
late 13th–early 14th centuries AH / second half of 19th century CE
Location
Inventory Number
OR 3619
Research Project
Author and Date of Entry
Francine Giese, Sophie Wolf 2025

Iconography

Description

Rectangular stucco and glass window with geometric ornamentation composed of interlaced eight-pointed stars and held in a wooden frame. The stars are arranged symmetrically along the centre axis and form a pattern of interlocking stars. The rectangular field is framed by an interlaced ribbon ornament, which, unlike the main field, is not perforated and therefore not backed with coloured glass.

The window is held in a wooden frame composed of four slats fixed with nails at the corners.

Iconclass Code
48A981 · ornament ~ geometric motifs
48A9815 · ornament ~ starforms
48A9878 · interlace ~ ornament
Iconclass Keywords
Inscription

Paper label bottom right (writing upside down): Fenster 14

Materials, Technique and State of Preservation

Materials

Gypsum plaster; colourless glass (with greenish-greyish tint); coloured glass (two shades of green, three shades of blue, two shades of orange, yellow, two shades of red flashed glass, wood, metal

Technique

The stucco lattice of this window is probably a cast of the latticework of window IG_362. As with the original, coloured pieces of glass were placed on the back of the openings in the stucco lattice and embedded in a thin (2–3mm) layer of stucco. In contrast to IG_362, there are no signs that the pieces of glass were fixed onto the lattice with an adhesive before embedding. The stucco panel is c.40mm thick. It is held in a wooden frame that is 43mm thick.

The coloured glass is 2mm thick; it is slightly thicker than the colourless glass (1–2mm). Some of the pieces of glass show elongated bubbles, suggesting that the glass sheets from which the pieces were cut were mouth-blown. The pieces of glass were cut roughly according to the design of the latticework using a glass-cutter. Scratch marks along the edges of several pieces of glass bear witness to this process.

State of Preservations and Restorations

The front of the window shows several cracks and losses in the latticework. On the back, there are some defects in the thin stucco layer and glass losses. The window shows no signs of previous restorations.

History

Research

This window has the same design as and dimensions almost identical to those of the stucco and glass window IG_362 held in the same collection. The colours and the layout of the pieces of glass are also very similar. We therefore assume that this window is a cast replica of IG_362. Several observations support this hypothesis: the traces of the tools used to cut the stucco lattice that we observed in window IG_362 are absent here. The surfaces of this window are smooth and show characteristics similar to those of other windows that were probably cast (see for instance IG_360, IG_361, IG_367, IG_368). In addition, the frame of the window does not have the diagonal reinforcements on the back that we observed on window IG_362 and on other windows of supposedly Tunisian origin. Due to the technical differences, we assume that the window was manufactured in Europe, possibly in Austria.

Due to the lack of documentation, the exact origin of the window and the date from which it first entered a museum collection are unknown. So far, we only know that it formed part of the collection of the Orientalisches Museum in Vienna, founded in 1874 (from 1886 the k.k. Österreichisches Handels-Museum). In 1897, Arthur von Scala (1845–1909), the director of the Handels-Museum, left the museum to become the new director of the k.k. Österreichisches Museum für Kunst und Industrie (Wieninger, 2012). On his initiative, this and a few other stucco and glass windows were transferred to the k.k. Österreichisches Museum für Kunst und Industrie (today the MAK – Museum für angewandte Kunst) in 1907.

Dating
late 13th–early 14th centuries AH / second half of 19th century CE
Period
1850 – 1874
Previous Locations
Place of Manufacture

Provenance

Owner
Since 1907: MAK – Museum für angewandte Kunst, Inventory Number: OR 3619, Vienna (Austria)
Previous Owner
From [year of reception unknown] until 1886: Orientalisches Museum (Wien), Vienna (Austria). date of acquisition unknown

Bibliography and Sources

Literature

Azzam, K. (ed.) (2021). Arts & Crafts of the Islamic Lands. Principles, Materials, Practice. London.

Broug, E. (2013). Islamic Geometric Design. London.

Wieninger, J. (2012). Das Orientalische Museum in Wien: 1874–1906. Austriaca, 37, 143–158.

Image Information

Name of Image
AUT_Wien_MAK_IG_365_1
Credits
© MAK/Christian Mendez
Date
2024

Linked Objects and Images

Linked Objects
Stucco and glass window with interlaced star ornamentation
Additional Images
Stucco and glass window, backside

Citation suggestion

Giese, F., & Wolf, S. (2025). Replica of a stucco and glass window with interlaced star ornamentation. In Vitrosearch. Retrieved December 5, 2025 from https://www.vitrosearch.ch/objects/2713209.

Record Information

Reference Number
IG_365