Life of Christ. Eglise Saint-Sulpice de Fougères (detail) 1919

Curator: Looking at this section, what strikes you most about Ludovic Alleaume’s stained glass work, dating from 1919? Editor: Those doves. They look so ethereal against the softly coloured background—pink, lavender, lemon yellow… Almost weightless. They're simple yet striking in their symbolism and execution. Curator: This detail is from the "Life of Christ" series in the Église Saint-Sulpice de Fougères, focusing on figuration and landscape rendered in stained glass, a classic technique of the period but employed with notable delicacy. Alleaume truly understood how light could transform narrative. Editor: The light plays a massive part. I’d hazard that on a grey day, they might fade into almost nothingness, but when sunlight streams through? They’d burst with an unearthly brilliance. I love how the dark lead lines both define and confine. It's as if Alleaume captured not just the holy spirit, but the ephemeral nature of belief itself. The context also matters here – this work being installed so soon after the end of WWI. It must have offered solace. Curator: Exactly! And consider the resurgence of religious art at that time. Alleaume's "Life of Christ" speaks to the sociopolitical climate—a return to traditional values and spiritual hope in the face of devastation. It’s not just pretty; it's deeply embedded in its historical moment, an icon of post-war recovery through faith. It would be really nice if one could truly imagine how people experienced and lived it at that very moment! Editor: Right? You can almost feel the congregation looking up, bathed in the light of the narrative unfolding above them, taking strength from its message. Even this tiny section sings of resilience and promise. Curator: Indeed. A small pane with enormous resonance! Editor: Definitely gave me something to consider!