Landscape with view of a village (one of three)

Art Historical Context

Christoph Murer, a Swiss artist from Zurich active in the late 16th and early th centuries, crafted this delicate stained glass panel, *Landscape with View of a Village (one of three)*, around the early 1600s. Known primarily as a cartographer and engraver Murer excelled in topographical views, capturing the rolling hills, clustered villages, and sturdy trees of his Swiss homeland with remarkable precision. This small panel, measuring just 6½ × 8½ inches, exemplifies the Renaissance tradition of stained glass not only for grand cathedrals but also for intimate secular settings, like private chambers or cabinets of curiosities. The artwork's vivid colors—achieved through meticulously painted and fired glass pieces—bring to life a serene rural scene, highlighting Zurich's pastoral landscapes. Stained glass technique here emphasizes transparency and light play, transforming daylight into a glowing tableau that evokes the region's Protestant restraint and love of nature amid the Counter-Reformation era. As part of a trio, it likely formed a narrative or panoramic set, showcasing Murer's skill in blending artistic beauty with documentary accuracy. Acquired through the 1935 bequest of George D. Pratt and now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts department, this piece offers visitors a window into early modern Swiss culture, where art celebrated everyday village life with enduring elegance.

About the Artist

Christoph Murer · 1558–1614

Christoph Murer was born in Zurich in 1558 into a dynasty of Swiss artists, the son of the glass painter Josias Murer and grandson of the celebrated painter and dramatist Jos Murer. Growing up surrounded by the craft of stained glass and the broader artistic culture of late Reformation Switzerland, he received thorough training in both glass painting and drawing, eventually becoming one of the mos...