William Willet
Encyclopedia
William Willet was an American
portrait
painter
, muralist, stained glass
designer
, studio owner and writer
. An early proponent of the Gothic Revival and active in the "Early School" of American stained glass
, he founded the Willet Stained Glass and Decorating Company, a stained glass studio, with his wife and partner Anne Lee Willet, in protest against the opalescent pictorial windows which were the rage at the turn of the twentieth century.
, the first English mayor of New York City
, Willet was born on November 1, 1869 in New York. He studied under the artist William Merritt Chase
, at the Tradesmen's Institute in New York City and in France
and England
. Originally a portrait painter, Willet made portraits for President William McKinley
, John Jacob Aster, William McEwan, among others. He assisted John La Farge between 1885-1887 during which time he served as art director and painted faces on murals.
In 1896 he married Anne Lee, daughter of the Reverend Henry F. Lee, of Philadelphia. In 1897 the couple moved to Pittsburgh, where Willet served as art director of stained glass artist Ludwig Grosse's stained glass firm from 1897–98, before establishing his own studio, the Willet Stained Glass Company, in 1899.
Inspired by European work and the Pre-Raphaelites, Willet rebelled against the American School
of stained glass — a movement established by Louis Comfort Tiffany
and John La Farge identified by its use of opalescent glass. Willet believed that opalescent glass ignored the principles of architecture and did not fulfill the purpose of a window. Instead, he was enamored with the medieval technique of transparent antique glass, lecturing and writing constantly on the subject. As a member of what Charles J. Connick
termed the "Early School" of stained glass artists, Willet, and fellow craftsmen Otto Heinigke and Harry E. Goodhue, are credited with renewing America's interest in traditional medieval materials, techniques, and aesthetic.
He is responsible for making the first medallion window in America, in the First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and the second in Calvary Episcopal Church
of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The first medallion window, designed and executed for First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh was composed of antique stained glass in the medieval manner. It was ill favored by the Senior Pastor, Dr. Maitland Alexander, who found it archaic and cheap. He order that the window be covered with heavy canvas and a great organ erected before it. Before it was hidden from view however, it caught the attention of Neo-Gothic architect Ralph Adams Cram
who would later serve as a patron for many of the Willet's works.
In 1910 Willet won the commission for the Great Sanctuary Window in the Cadet Chapel
at the United States Military Academy
in West Point, New York
. That window, entitled Duty, Honor, Country is composed of seven lancets and measures 34 feet wide by 50 feet tall. At the time, the competition was recognized as one of the most memorable ever held in the United States. Designs submitted to the selection jury were displayed for several weeks at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Willet beat out Louis Comfort Tiffany
and many other accomplished designers of the day. Following its completion, the project for the design and fabrication of the Nave
and North windows was awarded to the Willet studio. The commission, which spanned three generations of Willets over a period of sixty-six years, remains the longest continuing commission in American history.
Other windows Willet designed are those of Mather Memorial in Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland, Ohio
; Cathedral of Saint Paul in Pittsburgh
, Pennsylvania
; Church of the Holy Spirit
, Asbury Park, New York; Procter Hall at the Princeton University Graduate College
, Princeton, New Jersey
; World War Memorial Window in Trinity Episcopal Church
, Syracuse, New York
; windows in Green-Wood Cemetery
Chapel, Brooklyn, New York; and the following windows in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
: Joseph Harrison Memorial, Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia
; Alfred Harrison Memorial, Calvary Protestant Episcopal Church, Germantown, Pennsylvania
; St. Matthew's Catholic Church, Conshohocken, Pennsylvania
.
. He is buried in Princeton Cemetery
in Princeton, New Jersey
. At the time of his death, Willet was considered one of the most important stained glass artists in America
.
Corning Museum of Glass
Old First Reformed Church, Brooklyn, New York
William Willet on askart.com
Willet Hauser Architectural Glass
Photos of Princeton University's Procter Hall
Description of the Great West Window, Procter Hall, Princeton University by William and Annie Lee Willet
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
portrait
Portrait
thumb|250px|right|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] by [[Rembrandt Peale]], 1805. [[New-York Historical Society]].A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, muralist, stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
designer
Designer
A designer is a person who designs. More formally, a designer is an agent that "specifies the structural properties of a design object". In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, such as consumer products, processes, laws, games and graphics, is referred to as a...
, studio owner and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. An early proponent of the Gothic Revival and active in the "Early School" of American stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
, he founded the Willet Stained Glass and Decorating Company, a stained glass studio, with his wife and partner Anne Lee Willet, in protest against the opalescent pictorial windows which were the rage at the turn of the twentieth century.
Career
A descendant of Thomas WillettThomas Willett
Thomas Willett was a British-born American merchant, Plymouth Colony trader and sea-captain, Commissioner of New Netherland, magistrate of Plymouth Colony, Captain of the Plymouth Colony militia and was the first Mayor of New York City, prior to the consolidation of the five boroughs into the City...
, the first English mayor of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Willet was born on November 1, 1869 in New York. He studied under the artist William Merritt Chase
William Merritt Chase
William Merritt Chase was an American painter known as an exponent of Impressionism and as a teacher. He is also responsible for establishing the Chase School, which later would become Parsons The New School for Design.- Early life and training :He was born in Williamsburg , Indiana, to the family...
, at the Tradesmen's Institute in New York City and in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Originally a portrait painter, Willet made portraits for President William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
, John Jacob Aster, William McEwan, among others. He assisted John La Farge between 1885-1887 during which time he served as art director and painted faces on murals.
In 1896 he married Anne Lee, daughter of the Reverend Henry F. Lee, of Philadelphia. In 1897 the couple moved to Pittsburgh, where Willet served as art director of stained glass artist Ludwig Grosse's stained glass firm from 1897–98, before establishing his own studio, the Willet Stained Glass Company, in 1899.
Inspired by European work and the Pre-Raphaelites, Willet rebelled against the American School
American School
American School can refer to:American international schools* American School of Correspondence* American School * American Schools and Hospitals Abroad* Corporación Educativa American School...
of stained glass — a movement established by Louis Comfort Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is the American artist most associated with the Art Nouveau and Aesthetic movements...
and John La Farge identified by its use of opalescent glass. Willet believed that opalescent glass ignored the principles of architecture and did not fulfill the purpose of a window. Instead, he was enamored with the medieval technique of transparent antique glass, lecturing and writing constantly on the subject. As a member of what Charles J. Connick
Charles Connick
Charles Jay Connick was a prominent American painter, muralist, and designer best known for his work in stained glass in the Gothic Revival style. Born in Springboro, Pennsylvania, Connick eventually settled in the Boston area where he opened his studio in 1913...
termed the "Early School" of stained glass artists, Willet, and fellow craftsmen Otto Heinigke and Harry E. Goodhue, are credited with renewing America's interest in traditional medieval materials, techniques, and aesthetic.
He is responsible for making the first medallion window in America, in the First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and the second in Calvary Episcopal Church
Calvary Episcopal Church (Pittsburgh)
Calvary Episcopal Church is a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that was founded in 1855. The church rented space from a German Lutheran Church until a building was constructed in 1861....
of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The first medallion window, designed and executed for First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh was composed of antique stained glass in the medieval manner. It was ill favored by the Senior Pastor, Dr. Maitland Alexander, who found it archaic and cheap. He order that the window be covered with heavy canvas and a great organ erected before it. Before it was hidden from view however, it caught the attention of Neo-Gothic architect Ralph Adams Cram
Ralph Adams Cram
Ralph Adams Cram FAIA, , was a prolific and influential American architect of collegiate and ecclesiastical buildings, often in the Gothic style. Cram & Ferguson and Cram, Goodhue & Ferguson are partnerships in which he worked.-Early life:Cram was born on December 16, 1863 at Hampton Falls, New...
who would later serve as a patron for many of the Willet's works.
In 1910 Willet won the commission for the Great Sanctuary Window in the Cadet Chapel
West Point Cadet Chapel
The Cadet Chapel at the United States Military Academy is a place of Protestant denomination worship for many members of the United States Corps of Cadets. The chapel is a classic example of gothic revival architecture, with its cross-shaped floor plan, soaring arches, and ornate stone carvings...
at the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
in West Point, New York
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
. That window, entitled Duty, Honor, Country is composed of seven lancets and measures 34 feet wide by 50 feet tall. At the time, the competition was recognized as one of the most memorable ever held in the United States. Designs submitted to the selection jury were displayed for several weeks at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Willet beat out Louis Comfort Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is the American artist most associated with the Art Nouveau and Aesthetic movements...
and many other accomplished designers of the day. Following its completion, the project for the design and fabrication of the Nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and North windows was awarded to the Willet studio. The commission, which spanned three generations of Willets over a period of sixty-six years, remains the longest continuing commission in American history.
Other windows Willet designed are those of Mather Memorial in Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
; Cathedral of Saint Paul in Pittsburgh
Cathedral of Saint Paul in Pittsburgh
The Cathedral of Saint Paul is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
; Church of the Holy Spirit
Church of the Holy Spirit
Church of the Holy Spirit or Holy Spirit Church may refer to:* Church of the Holy Spirit * Church of the Holy Spirit * Church of the Holy Spirit * Church of the Holy Spirit...
, Asbury Park, New York; Procter Hall at the Princeton University Graduate College
Princeton University Graduate College
The Graduate College at Princeton University is a residential college which serves as the center of graduate student life at Princeton. It was dedicated on October 22, 1913, during the tenure of the first dean of the Graduate School, Andrew Fleming West and was the first residential college in the...
, Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
; World War Memorial Window in Trinity Episcopal Church
Trinity Episcopal Church
Trinity Episcopal Church, and variations, may refer to:in the United States;* Trinity Episcopal Church , listed on the NRHP in Alabama* Trinity Episcopal Church , listed on the NRHP in Arkansas...
, Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
; windows in Green-Wood Cemetery
Green-Wood Cemetery
Green-Wood Cemetery was founded in 1838 as a rural cemetery in Brooklyn, Kings County , New York. It was granted National Historic Landmark status in 2006 by the U.S. Department of the Interior.-History:...
Chapel, Brooklyn, New York; and the following windows in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
: Joseph Harrison Memorial, Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia
Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia
Church of the Holy Trinity is an Episcopal church on Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The first service in the church building, designed by Scottish architect John Notman, was held on March 27, 1859. The corner tower was added in 1867 and was designed by George W...
; Alfred Harrison Memorial, Calvary Protestant Episcopal Church, Germantown, Pennsylvania
Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Germantown is a neighborhood in the northwest section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, about 7–8 miles northwest from the center of the city...
; St. Matthew's Catholic Church, Conshohocken, Pennsylvania
Conshohocken, Pennsylvania
Conshohocken is a borough on the Schuylkill River in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, in suburban Philadelphia. Historically a large mill town and industrial and manufacturing center, after the decline of industry in recent years Conshohocken has developed into a center of riverfront commercial and...
.
Death
He died on March 29, 1921 at the age of 52. Following his death his wife and partner, Anne Lee and their son Henry continued with the Willet Studio which today is recognized as Willet Hauser Architectural GlassWillet Hauser Architectural Glass
- Sculptured gold windows :Henry Willet created the first sculptured gold window between 1948-49. When first devised, the sculptured gold overlay was based on leaded stained glass windows. Later, faceted glass set in epoxy resin was used...
. He is buried in Princeton Cemetery
Princeton Cemetery
Princeton Cemetery is located in Borough of Princeton, New Jersey. It is owned by the Nassau Presbyterian Church. John F. Hageman in his 1878 history of Princeton, New Jersey refers to the cemetery as: "The Westminster Abbey of the United States."...
in Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
. At the time of his death, Willet was considered one of the most important stained glass artists in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Examples of William Willet's work in stained glass
See also
The Cadet Chapel, United States Military AcademyCorning Museum of Glass
Old First Reformed Church, Brooklyn, New York
William Willet on askart.com
Willet Hauser Architectural Glass
Photos of Princeton University's Procter Hall
Description of the Great West Window, Procter Hall, Princeton University by William and Annie Lee Willet