Cut-Lead & Stained Glass Mosaic Windows

Edgar Miller
1928
Textured opalescent glass, colored antique glass, cut lead, iron oxide paint

Miller's particular genius was in his ability to work in so many different mediums, and to find ways to combine ways of methods and practices of different art forms. These windows highlight Miller's combination of art glass fabrication; use of found, unusual materials including industrial glass and iron oxide; and the integration of metal cuts with glass to create figuration effects and silhouette. These types of windows can be found in other parts of the Glasner Studio, as well as in the Kogen-Miller Studios and the art colony buildings, near the Carl Street Studios on Burton Place. Miller would go on to use this technique to create a cut-lead screen for the entryway to the trustees system services building at 182 West Lake in the Loop in 1929.

The use of industrial glass allows brilliant sunlight to enter and diffuse into the sitting room, while also allowing passers-by only a fleeting glimpse into the wonderland inside. This was a particularly helpful aspect of the home during the waning years of prohibition as Rudolph Glasner hosted parties for his friends and colleagues throughout the Studio space.