Three Saints (Alternate Study for Chapel Windows, Caldwell House, Newport)

La Farge employed thin, translucent glazes of watercolor and gouache, building up color in layers that simulate the luminous quality of glass. Real gold leaf forms the halos and background, creating a reflective surface that changes with the viewer’s angle, a hallmark of his approach to light and color within American Impressionist aesthetics.

The study was produced during La Farge’s prolific period designing ecclesiastical stained glass for churches along the East Coast. Although the final windows for Caldwell House were never installed, the paper study survived and entered the American Wing collection, where it serves as documentation of his design process.

At the time, La Farge was a leading figure in American religious art, integrating Impressionist techniques with traditional iconography. His use of gold leaf and layered glazing reflects contemporary experiments in mimicking the visual effects of stained glass on paper, bridging fine‑art painting and architectural decoration.

The piece illustrates La Farge’s method of testing color, light, and material before committing to glass fabrication, influencing subsequent American stained‑glass designers. It remains a valuable reference for scholars studying the intersection of painting and glass art in the late nineteenth century.