The Story Behind the Stained Glass Artwork at St Martin’s Church, Cochem, Germany

In the oldest part of St Martin’s, this church, along the adjacent wall, the church decided to commission the British stained glass artist Graham Jones to design and build eight separate windows.

Stained Glass Artist Collaboration

The pastor, it emerged, was keen to have extensive imagery referencing many different biblical stories and events littered across all eight windows. As the requirement for imagery expanded Graham decided this was more than he could tackle on his own. Primarily he is an abstract artist, and his knowledge of biblical texts was clearly insufficient for this level of detail. He asked Patrick Reyntiens, who by this time was in his eighties if he would like to collaborate on the designs. Patrick was delighted to join this enormous enterprise. For the next two years, they spent a huge amount of time discussing, designing, amending and finally executing this very significant commission.

The colouration of the window is bold. In the choir alone there is a central triple lancet in bright red, with a double lancet on the left and right – one in yellow, the other in green. The effect is quite disconcerting but at the same time energising. In addition, there are two blue windows to the right and then a further three yellow and green windows. The whole effect is full of drama, both in the swirling figures and the bold primary colour.

Stained Glass Artwork Supports The Church

One side effect of this commission is the windows have become a powerful magnet for tourists. This has been a great benefit to the church and something the congregation are enormously proud of. It is an exceptional and wonderful thing to find artists working together, each giving something unique and special to the overall work.

Stained Glass Church Art at its finest

View our amazing images below.