This window was dedicated on the 90th Anniversary of Queen’s Park High Parish Church, Queen’s Drive, Glasgow, on Sunday 22nd December 1957. The window was made by Guthrie & Wells.
The inscription across the bottom of the panels reads: AD 1953 This window is dedicated to the glory of God and for the adornment of His house AD 1957 Immanuel
Description of the window in the Order of Service: The window depicts the Adoration of the Infant Christ by Shepherds and Wise Men.
First Light: The venerable figure of Joseph is distinguished by a halo. The two shepherds, one standing, the other kneeling, are still wearing their thick outer garments with hoods over their heads.
Second Light: The Infant Christ, with right hand upheld in blessing, is seated upon the lap of Mary, His Mother. The artist’s inspiration for this beautiful Madonna was a French peasant girl seen working in the fields of Brittany. The traditional ox and ass are represented by a donkey and a Jersey calf.
Third Light: A shepherd stands with his gift of a lamb. Reverently kneeling, a dark-skinned King is presenting his gift.
Fourth Light: The King, who is standing, is resplendent in armour, with a purple cloak over his shoulder and a jeweled crown on his head. The King, who is kneeling, has removed the cover from his gift, so that the fragrance of the frankincense is scenting the air.
Although this window depicts the joy of our Lord’s Nativity with wreaths of holly, ivy, and mistletoe, there is also a foreshadowing of Calvary. In the apex of the 1st light we see the Golden Crown of Glory. “Mild he lays His glory by.” In the apex of the 4th light there are the Crown of Thorns and other reminders of our Lord’s Passion – the 30 pieces of silver, the sponge, Pilate’s pen, and the ear of Malchus. In the apexes of the two central lights are found the Star of Bethlehem and the Cup of Sacrifice.
The deep colours of the traceries with their stars and white birds in flight suggest the darkness of the night. But the new moon above the head of Joseph indicates the beginning of the new era inaugurated by the birth of our Saviour.
Again and again, in the window, are seen snowdrops, the most significant being held by the Infant Jesus. The snowdrop symbolises the revival of hope and the promise of new life in the dark days of winter. That promise and that hope shine through the whole window.
Additional notes:
The face of the right hand upper king in the 4th light is that of Denis Carlton Walmsley, a retired paper manufacturer and Freeman of the Borough of Preston, who lived at The Moorings Hotel on Gorey Pier in Jersey. He was a friend of Paine and left him in his will a chalk drawing by Clausen, of a boy sowing corn by hand, that was a study for a larger work. The black king, lower in 3rd light, is modeled on a Balinese wooden mask (below). The Virgin Mary is a Bretonne girl who Paine saw feeding her baby in a field. The window has no red in it as Paine didn’t like red glass. When funds ran out he paid for the window to be completed out of his own pocket.
Subsequently the church was converted into flats. The present whereabouts of the window is unknown.
Pencil studies for the fourth and third lights:
Balinese mask drawn by the blog author.
Studies for the black King in the third light:
Charles Paine A.R.C.A. 