4 minute read
Through Rose-Colored Glasses
Above: Preservation Carpentry Supervisor Omri Nassau and Objects Conservator Michaela Neiro discuss their approach to reinstalling a panel. Photograph by K. Ebner Creative.
The Pink House’s Mod Window
by LAURIE MASCIANDARO, Site Manager, Roseland Cottage
Every self-respecting Gothic Revival-style house should have an imposing window that emphasizes its connection with medieval church architecture and demonstrates why the Gothic Revival was originally known as the “pointed style.” Certainly, the window in Roseland Cottage’s conservatory qualifies. It is a favorite feature of everyone who visits the house, but its significance goes beyond its beauty: We believe it to be one of the first domestic uses of stained glass produced in the United States.
When Manhattan businessman Henry Bowen returned to his native Woodstock, Connecticut, to build his summer home, he spared no expense. Bowen's design sensibilities may reflect a bit of showmanship—the local boy who made a fortune in the big city wanted to bring a taste of the wider world to his beloved hometown. He built Roseland Cottage in the latest style, which today seems extreme compared to the sedate houses that surround it.
Roseland Cottage’s stained-glass window is an example of the unusual aesthetic choices that make Historic New England’s “pink house” unique. The most notable and noticeable design feature is, of course, the exterior paint color. In 1887, The New York Times referred to it as “a brilliant crushed strawberry.” The window, too, surprises many visitors. Its colors and design are not what they expect to see in a house built in 1846; it seems a bit on the “mod” side, more 1960s than 1840s. Some have suggested that a lava lamp on the desk would be an appropriate addition.
Because the window is such an integral feature of Roseland Cottage and an important part of American architectural history, we were extremely concerned when gaps developed between the leading and the glass, and when other damage that had been stable for years appeared to be worsening. In 2023, portions of the window were removed and painstakingly repaired, and in June 2024, the restored window was reinstalled.
Conserving Roseland's Stained Glass
by MICHAELA NEIRO, Objects Conservator
Stained-glass conservator Diane Russo, Historic New England Preservation Carpentry Supervisor Omri Nassau, and I investigated the window to determine the least intrusive way to remove and repair its damaged glass elements. We began conservation work by setting up scaffolding inside and out to access the stained-glass panels. Omri and I worked from the inside to find the screws holding in the window frames. The large screws were originally covered over with plaster and decorative grain painting to hide them. After revealing and removing them, the two most badly damaged panes were lifted out and packed for travel to Diane's studio.
Working on the scaffolding, we repaired multiple small cracks in the remaining glass with a clear adhesive. In addition to brilliantly colored glass, the panes contain shaped pieces of glass with grisaille finish, which coats the surface of the clear glass to make it look gray. Usually, the grisaille layer faces the interior, to protect the more delicate surface finish from weather and abrasion. However, in Roseland Cottage’s conservatory window, the grisaille layer faces the exterior and displays significant fading and scratches. To treat this damage, and to ensure that the color and opacity of the tinted adhesive matched the glass, communication was critical between conservators working on both sides of the window.
In the studio, Diane removed the leaded glass panels from their wood frames. She then cleaned and repaired scratches and breaks in the glass and the lead. The most complex aspect of the project was creating new cut glass pieces to replace badly broken ones, and then matching the translucency and color of the original grisaille. This brownish-gray surface treatment had to be applied to the new glass and then heated at a high temperature in a kiln to make it permanent. Heating the glass also alters the color, so Diane conducted many tests to confirm that the color and opacity matched the original glass from both inside and out.
Now stabilized, we hope this beautiful window lasts at least another 175 years.
Eager to see the restored stained-glass window in person? Roseland Cottage’s final house tours of the season are on October 26 & 27. You can stroll the grounds and take in an exterior view of the window year-round.
