Documentary

The Last Window

When Charles J. Connick Associates closed their doors in 1986, they left a legacy of 15,000 stained glass windows in more than 5000 churches, libraries and other public buildings. Founded on the principles of a medieval craft guild, this Boston studio was closely allied with Ralph Adams Cram, Dean of the Gothic revival in American architecture, and in it's heyday, between 1920 and 1950, employed and trained scores of artisans. The Last Window, narrated by Jonathan Fairbanks, Curator of American Decorative Arts Museum of Fine Arts Boston, follows the studio's final commission from design to installation; the artisans' commentary establishes the historical, aesthetic, and social context in which they work. Many examples of Connick windows are included, taking the film outside the studio to show the contrast between the workers' relationship with the art and that of the patrons and users.