Paul Bony was a French master glassmaker celebrated for his work in stained glass and his collaborations with some of the most significant artists of the 20th century, including Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall and Georges Rouault.
Bringing considerable technical expertise to these partnerships, Bony played an important role in translating artists’ designs into finished works in glass.
Among his most significant collaborations was his work with Henri Matisse on the Chapelle du Rosaire at Vence, conceived in 1947 and completed in 1951. Bony helped realise Matisse’s vision for the chapel’s stained-glass windows, carefully balancing panes of blue, green and yellow glass. Set against the simplicity of the white interior, the windows allow changing natural light to become an integral part of Matisse’s design.
Bony’s work demonstrates the close relationship between artist and craftsman, combining the creative vision of leading modern artists with the specialist knowledge required to realise ambitious designs in stained glass.
Illustrated: Alexi Pinson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
