Risen Christ

1955 – Christ Episcopal Church, Capitol Hill – Washington DC

Standing near the altar of this Washington, DC church and looking toward the rear of the nave, one cannot help but be struck by this bright red window that adorns the narthex wall of the church. When the sun hits it, the window just glows brilliantly. The reds are complemented by an assortment of jewel-like colors that shine equally brightly without diminishing the dominant color. With its thick lead lines, this window, like many by Rowan and Irene, feels almost like a woodcut. It is both figurative and abstract, a combination of styles that they often employ with dramatic effect.

Iconography

The center lancet shows the figure of the risen Jesus Christ, displaying the marks of the cross on his hands. His feet also bear the scars of crucifixion. The golden rays that form part of his halo glow in the light illuminating the window. Surrounding Christ in the left and right lancets are symbols closely associated with his death and resurrection. The left lancet depicts a multipointed star commonly associated with Jesus, the Light of the World. Below it is the crown of thorns placed on Jesus’ head in mocking homage during the trial leading to his crucifixion. At the bottom of this lancet is open tomb, which his female followers discovered when they came to anoint Jesus on the third day (Sunday) and found that that his body was gone.

The top of the right lancet shows Jesus’ cross bearing the inscription “INRI,” the four-letter abbreviation of the Latin “Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum” (“Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews”) that Pontius Pilate ordered to be inscribed above the cross. Below the cross are symbols of the Eucharist, or Holy Communion: a cup of wine and two loaves of bread. Finally, at the bottom of the lancet are the cast-aside grave bands, or wrappings, from Jesus’ burial that the disciples discovered within the tomb after he was resurrected.