Miriam
Daniel Cottier
1865-66
Dowanhill Church
Hyndland Street, Glasgow
The church is now "Cottier's," a community centre, theatre and restaurant; the image is reproduced by courtesy of David Robertson, Project Director, Four Acres Charitable Church, Glasgow.
The prophetess Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, is shown as a strong, vital figure in vibrantly coloured robes set against an equally vibrantly coloured background. She has helped lead the Israelites to the promised land of Canaan, and now, amid the abundance that they find there, rejoices over the defeat the Egyptians. "And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances" (Exodus 15, 20).
Nothing could be further in spirit from the conventional female figures of earlier stained glass windows, represented with meek or yearning expressions, in more subdued and less varied tones, and generally amid traditional architectural backgrounds.
Related Material
Caption material by Lionel Gossman, and commentary and formatting by Jacqueline Banerjee. [Click on the image to enlarge it, and mouse over the text for links.]
