Storing up Manna 1497 - 1499

This panel, “Storing up Manna”, was made by Friedrich Brunner, likely in Switzerland. As you can see, it's made of pieces of colored glass, held together with lead cames. The craft of stained glass is labor intensive. Each piece of glass must be carefully cut to shape, painted with details, and then fired to make the paint permanent. The lead cames are then bent and soldered to hold the glass in place. This requires a high degree of skill and precision, handed down through generations. Here, the story of the manna emphasizes the social context of labor and consumption. Manna was the food miraculously provided to the Israelites in the desert. Storing it up suggests a hoarding that goes against the spirit of communal sharing. The stained glass medium – precious, permanent – lends a weight to this image of ethical failure. It's a potent reminder that even sacred stories are shaped by the everyday world of materials, making, and social relations.