SPITFIRES

Brief description: Spitfires is one of a series of seventy unique panels made by Clarke – the first autonomous works in stained glass to combine the techniques of water-jet-cutting, ceramic glaze-printing and lamination – each showing the aircraft in the same formation, but with different Spitfires illuminated in glorious colour. In the ceramic glaze-printed cloud – a digital reproduction of one of Clarke’s oil paintings – the silhouettes of 16 Spitfires can be seen. The seven coloured Spitfires, in various tones of pink and blue, have been cut from sheets of coloured antique (mouth-blown) glass.

The Spitfire is the most iconic and recognisable British aircraft associated with World War II. Its superior speed and agility gave the RAF a critical edge over the Luftwaffe during a number of crucial battles, including the Battle of Britain. Spitfires is one of a series of seventy unique panels made by Clarke – the first autonomous works in stained glass to combine the techniques of water-jet-cutting, ceramic glaze-printing and lamination – each showing the aircraft in the same formation, but with different Spitfires illuminated in glorious colour. In the ceramic glaze-printed cloud – a digital reproduction of one of Clarke’s oil paintings – the silhouettes of 16 Spitfires can be seen. The seven coloured Spitfires, in various tones of pink and blue, have been cut from sheets of coloured antique (mouth-blown) glass. This panel is one of a series of seventy unique stained glass Spitfire panels made by Brian Clarke (b.1953). It was donated to the museum in 2019 as a gift from the artist in honour of the museum’s 40th birthday.

Object type: stained glass panel

Number of objects: 1

Production date: 2017

Production period: 21st century, early

Designer: Brian Clarke (1953 - 2025)

Manufacturer: Mayer'sche Hofkunst, Munich, Germany

Dimensions: Height: 800 mm, Width: 800 mm

Acquisition: gift 2019

Acquisition source: Clarke, Brian

Accession number: ELYGM:2019.2