Mystery Painting stained glass window: Knox Presbyterian Church, Oakville.

Description

Media Type

Image

Item Type

Photographs

Description

The window's inspiration originated from a painting that the artist Henri Ault called "The Shadow of the Cross." The painting has become known as the "Mystery Painting", so named because it changes at night. In daylight, it portrays Christ standing barefoot on the banks of Galilee. In darkness, Jesus becomes an illuminated shadow carrying a cross. His robes appear to flow, a halo is seen above his head and a boat is visible on the sea of Galilee. These mysterious changes have no explanation and have baffled artists, chemists, physicists and even Henri Ault himself. The picture has been tested for radioactivity, luminous paint and all other known chemicals with negative results. The painting was given to the Mission of St. Francis of Assisi in Ranchos de Taos in 1948 to repay the Indians of the village for saving the life of a wealthy matron visiting Taos from New York.

Notes

Text excerpted from, "The Stained glass windows in Knox Presbyterian Church, Oakville, Ontario", 1982.

Inscriptions

"To the Glory of God, Given by Herbert E. and G. Lorraine Thomas and Family, 1985."

Subject(s)