Jesus and the Samaritan woman. Eglise Saint-Sulpice de Fougères 1919

This stained glass window, depicting Jesus and the Samaritan woman, was made by Ludovic Alleaume, a French artist who lived from 1859 to 1941. Stained glass is a complex composite material, demanding skilled labor. Each piece of colored glass is carefully cut, painted with details, then fired to make the paint permanent. Lead strips, called cames, hold the individual pieces together, creating a mosaic of light and color. The material is inherently fragile, which imbues the artwork with a sense of reverence. The deep blues, reds, and greens, achieved through metallic oxides added to the molten glass, would have been expensive and rare in the medieval period. Alleaume's choices emphasize the preciousness of the scene. Although this artistry serves a religious narrative, the production is a story of craft traditions, skilled labor, and the cultural value ascribed to these processes. Looking closely, we might consider how the techniques and traditions of the past intertwine with the modern era, and the continuing distinction between art and craft.