Installed: 1900

Memorial name: Brown Memorial Window

Dedicated to: John Ball Brown (1784-1862) and Rebecca Warren Brown (1789-1855)

Donors: Abby Collins Brown and Rebecca Warren Brown (daughters)

Location: Main floor, left side

This story in glass presents a unique interpretation of a well-known narrative. Typically, the angel is shown as speaking to the shepherds from the sky, surrounded by a heavenly host. In this depiction, a single, earthbound angel greets the shepherds with humanity. The large-scale figure of the angel dominates the composition and defines the frame. The angel has an illuminated face and is surrounded by an aura of concentric patterns of light, visual devices designed to emphasize the angel’s divine authority. In contrast, the shepherds are dressed in dark colors and cast in the shadows, with the exception of their faces, which are dazzled by the angel’s presence. In this nighttime scene, the Star of Bethlehem shines through the angel’s translucent sleeve. Designer Frederick Wilson devoted much care to the specificity of the angel’s robes, Bethlehem’s buildings in the distance, and the ornate patterning of the feathers, which is repeated in the design of the angel’s vest. These features are stunning examples of Wilson’s fidelity to nature and gift for detail.

The window honors Boston’s pioneering orthopedic surgeon, Dr. John Ball Brown (1784-1862) and his wife, Rebecca Warren Brown (1789-1855), the prolific author who wrote under the pseudonym “Lady of Boston.” She drew inspiration for her writing from her family’s many eminent physicians including her father, Dr. John Warren, who was Boston’s leading surgeon and a founder of Harvard Medical School and her uncle, General Joseph Warren, a doctor who died at the Battle of Bunker Hill. The window was donated by the couple’s daughters, Abby Collins Brown and Rebecca Warren Brown, who were active members of the church. The inscription plate had to be replaced in the latter half of the 20th century, long after the demise of Tiffany Studios. Its mottled appearance and anomalous coloring demonstrate the challenge of attempting to recreate opalescent glass and the distinctive look of Tiffany windows.

Glenn Kulbako Photography