Ontwerp voor raam in het Noordertransept in de Dom te Utrecht c. 1934

Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst made this design for a stained-glass window in the North transept of the Utrecht Cathedral with chalk and charcoal. The materials themselves are humble, yet they bring a remarkable intensity to this image of a clenched fist, reminiscent of the Dutch labor movement. The design speaks to the symbolic potential of the window as a medium, here conceived as a mosaic of light and shadow. Chalk and charcoal are ideal for achieving this, allowing for a rich tonal range and dramatic contrasts. Look closely, and you can see how the artist used hatching and stumping to build up the forms, a testament to Holst's skilled hand. But the image itself also speaks volumes. The raised fist is a powerful symbol of solidarity and resistance, suggesting that Holst's design was not only intended to fill a physical space but to occupy a social and political one as well. It reminds us that stained glass, traditionally associated with religious narratives, could also be a medium for expressing secular ideals.