Article content VIC SCHUKOV Eileen Paulsen feels blessed in two worlds: Her beloved faith and an interest in local history with a twist of detective work. Recommended Videos A parishioner of Brighton’s Holy Angels Church, her curiosity peaked while admiring its 13 magnificent stained-glass windows: “I loved the windows so much I wanted to know what the symbols meant, so I looked up the artist.” Guido Nincheri, born in 1885, studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, under the master Adolfo de Carolis. generally associated with Art Nouveau and Symbolism.
At 21, Nincheri graduated with honours in classical design, fresco technique and architecture. In 1913, he immigrated to Montreal and worked for Henri Perdriau Studio, decorating churches throughout Quebec. In 1924 he established his own studio, developing a style of translucent windows whose light enhanced many of his own frescoes.
Nincheri executed an estimated 5,000 stained glass windows and frescos in over 200 churches in Quebec, Ontario, the Maritimes, British Columbia, and New England. In 1933, Pope Pius XI dubbed Nincheri “the church’s greatest artist of religious themes,” conferring on him the title of Commander of the Order of St. Sylvester.
A year before he died, Nincheri was knighted by the Italian government in 1972. Nincheri was honoured during Montreal’s 350th anniversary celebrations, recognized as a Builder of the City of Montreal. Nicknamed “the Michelangelo of Montreal,” he is considered a Person of National Historic Significance.
One of his circa 1940 stained glass windows, entitled “Our Lady of the Rosary” was on a Canadian postage stamp in 1997. “I had some letters dated 1947 by the priest thanking parishioners who donated money to pay for the windows. The priest presided over Brighton, Warkworth, and Wooler.” While reading the artist’s catalogue on his website, she noticed there was no mention of the Holy Angels windows, so she emailed the site.
Amazingly, his grandson Roger answered her in 2016. He was keeping an inventory of all the artwork. Like a history detective she deduced from the old letters that the priest who ordered the windows was based in St.
Alphonsus Church in Wooler. So, the 13 windows were listed under the wrong church. Paulson wanted this corrected, and Roger told her if she took pictures of the windows, he would write in detail the insight and sacred themes of each composition gracing the naves.
“Roger’s descriptions made such a big difference for me. In some cases, he refers to the scriptures from which they came. Knowing the details gave me a much greater appreciation for the deep meanings of the windows.
(She becomes thoughtful.) I am a choir member at Holy Angels and when I periodically solo, I look directly at my family window and feel as though the whole family is with me in that moment.” After giving her priest, a copy of Roger’s texts, she had an idea. “I was aware we needed some structural repairs on the church, and this would be a good way to raise funds. I thought, let’s do something good for both the family and the church.
This was a natural. I think there are very few people here who have any idea of this artist.” Eileen spearheaded a special event held at Holy Angels Church in May 2017. After researching a 1940’s Catholic hymn book, Father Reynolds chose the hymn entitled Dear Angel Ever at my Side to start the evening.
The Women’s League provided readers to describe the symbolism of each window. Each reader paused to name the people who donated a window and in whose loved one’s memory it was donated; there was a musical interlude and a prayer for each family. Afterwards, at the reception in the Parish Hall, people redeemed their tickets for a special booklet on the windows as written by the artist’s grandson.
“In the end, it’s about bringing happiness to others. That is my raison d’etre, to see the good in people and not let life’s challenges weigh me down.” Amen.
