Design for Stained Glass 1585 - 1595

This is Hans Jakob Plepp's "Design for Stained Glass", made with pen and black ink, with gray wash, in the late 16th century. Plepp was working in a cultural moment marked by the Renaissance’s revival of classical forms, combined with the religious tensions of the Reformation. The design is replete with allegorical figures: cherubs, and female figures in classical garb. These figures act as supporting players to heraldic devices which were popular in stained glass of the era. But, the figures are not mere decoration, they reflect the values and status of those who commissioned the work. Female figures, in particular, often embodied virtues, or served as markers of lineage. Plepp's design offers a glimpse into the complex interplay of status, symbolism, and artistic expression in the late 16th century. It invites us to consider how gendered representations were mobilized to convey particular meanings, and how art could serve as a site for negotiating identity in a rapidly changing world. The design reminds us that even seemingly decorative arts carry complex cultural information.