Dove and Unicorn

1957 – Christ Episcopal Church, Capitol Hill – Washington DC

This is the second of two paired windows in the narthex of Christ Church. The two windows are similarly exuberant in style but completely different from the Risen Christ window that is placed between them. Whereas the Risen Christ window is predominantly red, this pair of windows has a much more even distribution of color and much thinner lead lines that give it a contemporary, almost cartoon-like look.

This window, like the Lion and Fish window, is blocked from the nave by a balcony, but if you find the right position, it is possible to look up and see the whole window at once from the nave. Also, you pass right by it as you ascend the stairs going up to the balcony. It is delightful how Rowan and Irene have used the points at the tops of the two lancets for the dove’s tail and the unicorn’s horn.

Iconography

In general, the symbols in this window seem to center around Christ’s purity, sinlessness, and virgin birth. The top of the left lancet shows a descending dove. Doves have multiple meanings in Christian and Jewish traditions, but this one most likely represents the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus at his baptism; the wavy shape immediately below the dove could represent the Jordan River, where Jesus was baptized. Below the dove is a two-branched candlestick, which has been used to symbolize the two natures of Christ, human and divine. The vessel below the candlestick appears to be a receptacle to hold oil for a lamp, like those carried by the five wise virgins (who came prepared with extra oil in case the bridegroom was late) but not by the five foolish virgins in Jesus’ parable (Matthew 25:1-13). The symbol at the bottom of this lancet is enigmatic, and we hope that further research will help us identify it.

The unicorn in the right lancet symbolizes Jesus’ virgin birth, since traditionally only a virgin was said to be able to tame a unicorn. Below the unicorn is another ambiguous image that appears to be a woman (?) in a wimple (as worn by medieval women and traditionally clad nuns); if she belongs with the vessel for oil in the left lancet, she could be one of the wise virgins. We hope that research in the church will help to identify this unknown figure. Below the figure is a shepherd’s staff, symbolizing Jesus as the Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for the sheep.

At the top of the window is a rose, symbolizing sacrifice and sinlessness, together with three other flowers, possibly daisies, which are associated with innocence and purity.