Exhibit of Tiffany stained glass on display at Oshkosh Public Museum

Seven delicate, 112-year-old Tiffany stained glass windows stand in a dimly lit room at the Oshkosh Public Museum, where seated on a bench opposite them, the iridescent colors bring an awe-inspiring elegance to the otherwise darkened room.

A new exhibit showcases the full set of Louis Comfort Tiffany’s stained-glass window series, “Angels Representing Seven Churches.” Each eight-foot window depicts one of the angels addressed in the Bible’s Book of Revelation.

The traveling exhibit is made possible by In Company With Angels, a non-profit organization formed in 2007 with the mission to share the window series with as many people as possible.

Cheryl Desmond, In Company With Angels executive director, said what makes the exhibit special is that it can be approached in different ways.

She said it can be a spiritual, artistic and educational experience. Each window is one-of-a-kind, yet they all work together as a set. The subject matter is significant, too, she said.

“Picking the angels of Revelation as a subject matter is fairly unique,” she said, adding most churches choose windows depicting Jesus or Mary.

Desmond said it’s interesting to be able to see the windows up close rather than having to look up to where one would normally find them in a church. One can see Tiffany’s technique and craftsmanship and how he used a new way of making stained glass windows.

He used a method of layering the different colored glass instead of simply painting it like other artists of the time, and even made his own glass to get the colors he wanted.

Scholars estimate that 50 percent of Tiffany church windows have been lost, Desmond said.

The exhibit educates visitors about the historical and artistic significance of the windows, which were created in 1902. It shares the story of their journey through a church demolition, after which they were largely forgotten until they were later rediscovered and restored.

“Angels Representing Seven Churches” has been traveling to different museums since 2011, and Oshkosh is its first stop in the area.