31 Facts About Christopher Whall

Christopher Whitworth Whall was a British stained-glass artist who worked from the 1880s and on into the 20th century.

Christopher Whall is widely recognised as a leader in the Arts and Crafts movement and a key figure in the modern history of stained glass.

Christopher Whall was born in the rectory at Thurning, Northamptonshire, where his father, William Whall, was the rector.

Christopher Whall was educated at home with his siblings until his teens.

Christopher Whall left Rossall School in 1865, and in 1867 enrolled as a probationer at the Royal Academy Schools.

Christopher Whall had hoped to find work as a portrait painter, but was offered few commissions.

Christopher Whall carried out designs during this period for several stained glass makers including John Hardman Trading Co.

Christopher Whall was actively involved in these two organizations for thirty years and was an influential spokesman for the medium of stained glass.

In 1912, Christopher Whall was elected to the role of Master of the Art Worker's Guild.

Christopher Whall was one of the earliest Arts and Crafts stained glass artists to include slab glass in his work.

Christopher Whall's work was considered groundbreaking in his use of Prior's "Early English" glass.

At various times, particularly in the 1880s and 1890s, Christopher Whall was commissioned to design windows by James Powell and Sons.

Christopher Whall was hired by the school's directors, George Frampton and William Lethaby, to be among the eleven teachers at the school.

Students taking Christopher Whall's class were a wide assortment of ages, backgrounds and level of experience.

Christopher Whall encouraged students by giving them small tasks to perfect before working up to large, more complex work.

Christopher Whall resigned from his teaching position in 1905, but continued to work with the stained glass classes in an informal supervisory role.

Christopher Whall taught at the Royal College of Art, informally from 1897, with the assistance of Alfred Drury to a formal teaching position at the school in 1901.

Christopher Whall's experienced his work as a stained glass artist and teacher as a vocation.

Christopher Whall's manual was part of a series of books, which included the following manuals: lettering by Edward Johnston, silverwork by Henry Wilson, bookbinding by Douglas Cockerell and wood-carving by George Jack.

In 1907, Christopher Whall decided to establish his own studio-workshop and took over the building at 1 Ravenscourt Park, Hammersmith.

Christopher Whall hired Spooner to convert the upper floor and attic into a large studio with several large windows for cartooning and glass-painting, and the ground floor into a glazing workshop and kiln room.

Christopher Whall's studio included innovative labor-saving devices, including "an improved tray for loading painted glass into the kiln and an easily movable glass-painting easel".

Christopher Whall fostered an environment where experimenting and continually learning was key, even for the instructor.

Christopher Whall stocked the workshop with plants, insects and items from nature for inspiration for colour and design.

Christopher Whall handed over the management of his studio to stained glass designer and former pupil Edward Woore.

Christopher Whall was a skilled stained glass artist and craftsman and created a number of stained glass works under the firm's name.

Christopher Whall's health continued to decline and he died on 23 December 1924, at the age of 75.

In September 1901 Alfred E Child arrived in Dublin to take up the post of Instructor in Stained Glass at the newly reorganised Dublin Metropolitan School of Art and it seems that Whall was one of those who were behind this appointment along with the painter Sarah Purser, the poet W B Yeats and Edward Martyn the art critic.

Christopher Whall John was born in 1885 and their daughter Veronica in 1887.

Christopher Whall's daughter Veronica was a student in his stained glass classes.

Christopher Whall was a skilled artist and had a successful career as a stained glass artist.