Who created the 20th-century stained-glass windows of Zurich’s Grossmünster?

Augusto Giacometti created the 20th-century stained-glass windows of Zurich’s Grossmünster.

Giacometti’s windows were installed in the Romanesque church in 1932. Their bold colors and abstracted forms brought a modern visual language into a building whose origins reach back to medieval Zurich. The windows are particularly notable for their jewel-like blues, reds, yellows, and greens.

Augusto Giacometti was a Swiss painter and stained-glass artist. He was the cousin of Giovanni Giacometti and the uncle of the sculptor Alberto Giacometti, a relationship that can cause confusion when the windows are discussed.

Grossmünster is also associated with the Swiss Reformation and with Huldrych Zwingli, who preached there. The church’s austere historical role and Giacometti’s luminous modern windows create a striking contrast.