Education (Chittenden Memorial Window) facts for kids

The Education stained-glass window is a beautiful artwork found at Yale University in the USA. It was made by Louis Comfort Tiffany and his company, Tiffany Glass Company, in 1890. This large window was paid for by Simeon Baldwin Chittenden for the university's library.

The window shows important ideas like Art, Science, Religion, and Music as angels. Other angels nearby represent good qualities and ideas, such as Truth and Hope. You can tell what each angel represents by the words written in their glowing halos.

Education, 1890, by Louis Comfort Tiffany and Tiffany Studios

When it was first put in place in 1890, the window looked over the main reading room of the new library. Today, it is in room 102 of Linsly-Chittenden Hall. A bronze sign next to the window explains that it was made to honor the donor's daughter. It also includes a quote from the Bible about wisdom and knowledge.

The Window's Mix-Up Story

In 1970, something surprising happened with the "Education" window. Yale University decided to protect its valuable artworks because of a large protest happening nearby. They planned to remove and store the Tiffany window safely.

However, there was a big mistake! Workers accidentally removed twelve other large stained-glass panels instead. These panels were from a different artist, Clayton and Bell, and showed famous writers. They were carefully packed into crates labeled "Tiffany."

Meanwhile, the real "Education" window by Tiffany was left behind. It was hidden behind a dirty curtain in a classroom. This mistake actually saved the Tiffany window. Eleven of the twelve crates with the wrong windows inside later disappeared from storage. The real Tiffany window was eventually found, cleaned, and restored. Now, it has a clear sign identifying it for everyone to see.

What the Window Shows

The "Education" window is full of interesting details. It is divided into different sections, each showing important ideas.

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  On the left side, you can see the idea of Art as an angel. Next to Art are angels representing Form, Color, and Imagination.

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  Between Art and Science, you'll find angels representing Perception and Analysis.

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  The middle part of the window is very busy! On the left, Science is shown with angels like Devotion, Labor, Truth, Research, and Intuition. On the right, Religion is shown with angels representing Purity, Faith, Hope, Reverence, and Inspiration. In the very center, a main angel represents "Light·Love·Life".

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  An angel representing Law connects the ideas of Music and Religion.

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  The right side of the window shows Music as an angel. Other angels nearby represent Rhythm, Melody, Harmony, Verse, and Voice.