The renowned Belarusian artist Marc Chagall created the stained glass masterpiece America Windows for the Art Institute of Chicago, symbolising the United States as a beacon of cultural and religious freedom. Unveiled in 1977, this work became one of the museum’s most iconic pieces, closely tied to the history of Chicago and its rich tradition of public art.
Chagall first visited Chicago in the 1970s to work on a mosaic for the Chase Tower’s Four Seasons. Moved by the city's appreciation for his work and the support of the Art Institute, Chagall volunteered to design a series of stained glass windows for the museum. Deeply connected to public art projects in the 1960s and 1970s, Chagall dedicated America Windows to Mayor Richard J. Daley, a passionate advocate for public art initiatives.
This artwork captures Chagall’s stance on religious diversity, artistic ideologies, and communal harmony. It has often been viewed as a powerful message of tolerance and respect in a world divided by differing worldviews. Chagall’s words encapsulate his ethos: “I am only interested in love, and I am alone in my connection with things that revolve around love.”
Viewing his work evokes a dreamlike atmosphere, often defying the traditional expectations of modernist art. Chagall distanced himself from movements like Impressionism and Cubism, stating that, to him, art was a state of the soul, indifferent to rigid styles. His unique vision left even Pablo Picasso remarking, “I don’t know where he gets such images. He must have an angel in his head.”
Chagall’s fascination with stained glass offered him a monumental canvas to explore colour. Collaborating with master glassworker Charles Marq, Chagall created 86 stained glass works across Europe, Israel, and the United States. For America Windows, Marq produced 36 glass panels following Chagall’s specifications, while Chagall himself hand-painted the designs with high-temperature enamels. The windows, standing over two and a half metres tall and nine metres wide, feature intricate sections that blend American historical symbols with representations of Chicago and the arts. From left to right, the windows depict music, painting, literature, architecture, theatre, and dance.
After nearly 30 years on display, the panels were removed for a five-year period of restoration from 2005 to 2010, during which the museum built a new modern wing to house the piece. Over time, the glass had accumulated a white film from air pollutants, dulling its vibrant colours. Meticulous conservation efforts revealed the original brilliance of the windows, akin to clearing a dirty windscreen to restore the view.
Today, America Windows forms the centrepiece of the Art Institute’s Arthur Rubloff building, harmonised with other significant modern artworks. Its relocation enabled the integration of advanced conservation systems. The Vinci Hamp Architects team collaborated with engineers and lighting specialists to create a state-of-the-art lightbox, ensuring even illumination while preserving the artwork’s depth and brilliance. The lighting design was led by Thomas Paterson of Lux Populi, who recreated a subtle sense of natural light using diffusing curtains and fluorescent tubes at varying distances. Paterson reflected, "We studied natural light on other stained glass works for countless hours to achieve a depth similar to that of natural sunlight."
Marc Chagall, born in 1887 in Vitebsk, Belarus (then part of the Russian Empire), was a prolific painter, printmaker, and designer. He moved to Paris in 1910, where he became associated with the avant-garde and began developing the distinctive style that would define his career. Jewish life, Belarusian folklore, and biblical themes permeated his art, with his compositions often defying conventional arrangements. Throughout his life, he expanded his artistic repertoire, embracing diverse mediums such as monumental murals, ceramics, and tapestries.
In his later years, stained glass became a significant focus for Chagall. Although he began working with stained glass only in his seventies, his collaboration with Charles Marq allowed him to master the medium and create large-scale projects, including windows for the Reims Cathedral and the United Nations building in New York. Marq’s innovative technique allowed Chagall to use multiple colours on a single pane without the need for lead separators, giving him the freedom to experiment with gradients and fine details. This combination of craftsmanship and Chagall’s vibrant, dreamlike imagery elevated his stained glass work to the same level as his paintings.
America Windows was Chagall’s tribute to the cultural vitality of the United States, presented as a gift to the Art Institute of Chicago in honour of the nation’s bicentennial. Chagall chose Chicago for this gift due to the city’s unwavering enthusiasm for art. Within the six stained glass panels, Chagall wove references to the history of American music, literature, and the ideals of freedom and democracy, with the Statue of Liberty featured as a symbolic nod to these themes. While some debate whether specific meanings should be assigned to the imagery, it is clear that the work reflects both Chagall’s artistic vision and his deep respect for the United States’ cultural and artistic heritage.