Color & Light

From 1955 to 1964, Mundelein resident Charles Warner created hand-carved cathedral models, in remembrance of the architecture and vibrant colors of his childhood in Poland. The cathedral models represent the strong connections and memories that immigrants hold of their native homes and the desire to share that heritage with family and community.

Charles Warner (1884–1964) left his home in Poland to immigrate to the United States at the age of 16. In Poland, his family lived in an area controlled by Russia and he did not want to be drafted into the Russian army. In the U.S., Warner made his way west laboring in tobacco fields in Massachusetts, a paper mill in Ohio, and finally at American Steel and Wire in Waukegan. Shortly before he retired, Warner worked as a carpenter. By the early 1920s, Warner became a naturalized citizen and settled in Mundelein. There he raised his three children: William, and twins, Lucille and Louise.

After Charles Warner’s retirement he turned his energy to a new passion—woodworking. A request from one of his daughters to make a manger for their nativity set sparked a new purpose in his life. Warner created structures out of wood, beginning with birdhouses that were so elaborate he joked about charging the birds rent. In 1955, Warner took his hobby to new heights by building cathedral models. He hand-carved the wooden cathedrals with a jackknife and jigsaw, using templates of his own design. The cathedral models made in remembrance of his childhood in Europe, also taught his children about their heritage. Warner died in his sleep on August 3, 1964, with his sixth model left unfinished. In 1982, Lucille Warner donated her father’s five completed models to the Dunn Museum. She recalled him saying that his retirement years were “the happiest years of his life.”

Rising high above the cityscape, cathedrals throughout the world serve as monumental symbols of spirituality, authority and architectural achievement. Cathedrals are Christian churches that house the seat of a bishop, though the term cathedral is often mistakenly given to any large, important place of worship. Construction of these sacred spaces began in the 8th century, flourished from that point through the 16th century, and has continued into contemporary times. Cathedral architecture encompasses a range of styles. The most common are Romanesque (circa 1000–1140) with its thick walls, large towers and symmetrical plans, and Gothic (circa 1140–1400) with its pointed arches and flying buttresses. The beauty and sanctity of Old World European cathedrals inspired the design of cathedrals into the 20th century, incorporating classic elements of famous cathedrals with modern sensibilities.

Charles Warner’s folk art cathedrals are creations of his own design. They were not intended to be replicas of real-world buildings, yet they captured the essence of the European cathedrals and architecture that inspired him. Elements of Warner’s models such as an emphasis on height—even as miniatures they are three to five feet tall—multiple towers, arches, and elaborate exterior ornamentation reflect key characteristics associated with cathedral architecture. A large, arched center door, often flanked by smaller doors to create a combination of three, five or seven openings, is another feature of many cathedrals. For sculptural elements, Warner purchased angels and other figurines which he added to his models. Another similarity between Europe’s cathedrals and Warner’s is the process of building them. Just as the builders of the first cathedrals learned by experience, Warner also refined his skills and construction knowledge with each model he completed. His daughter described him building his first cathedral, Cathedral I, “like ‘topsy,’ larger and larger as he worked on it.” This can be seen in the numerous towers, not quite symmetrical façade and inconsistent sizes of openings and arches. As Warner developed his technique, his structures became progressively elaborate and elegant, each taking at least a year to complete.

The exteriors of Charles Warner’s cathedrals are decorated in a rainbow of hues, perhaps to portray the varied marbles and stone used in the cathedrals of Europe. Although Warner’s cathedrals do not open, the interiors are equally colorful, but only viewable by peeking through the doors.

If you could enter into the models you would see Warner’s hand-crafted wooden chandeliers suspended from the ceiling, carved candles and altars, as well as flowers and religious imagery. Cathedral II features an elaborate catafalque—a decorated platform for supporting a coffin while someone is lying in state—while Cathedral I has rows of pews for churchgoers. Cathedral IV has a tree motif painted on a floor of glass, simulating polished marble. For the first time, these interiors have been filmed allowing for a whole new way to view the cathedrals.

The imposing stone façades of real-world cathedrals also enclose beautiful spaces. Soaring heights, columns, and ornate altars are typical features. In some European cathedrals gilded sculpture, colorful mosaics, frescoes or paintings of religious figures and scenes fill the interior, designed to immerse those within in a sense of awe and reverence.

Stained glass window design is an integral part of cathedral architecture, and Charles Warner incorporated stained glass windows into his cathedrals. As a substitute for true stained glass, he painted glass panels using a feathering technique to allow light to shine through. The historic cathedrals of Europe are credited with elevating stained glass windows to an art form. The earliest stained glass windows in cathedrals and monasteries have been lost to time, but would have had simple colors and geometric designs. The Romanesque and Gothic styles of cathedral building developed the use of complex designs and scenes in windows, using dark paint to define faces and create shading effects. Historically, the interior lighting in buildings was dim compared to what we are used to today with electric lights. The numerous windows in the cathedrals, and their great size, would have been an unexpected experience for the time. The stained glass allowed brilliant multi-colored light to flow in from the outside, illuminating the interior and reinforcing the association of a religious space with light and beauty.

Stained glass is traditionally created by adding various metallic oxides to molten glass to produce color, by fusing a layer of colored glass to clear glass, or by painting the glass. Once colored, the glass can then be cut into shapes for various designs. The shapes are pieced together and held in place with lead, making the dark lines delineating sections of glass. Stone framing, known as tracery, created additional shapes and artistry for cathedral windows. When light shines through stained glass it is transformed into a rainbow of colors, and the window itself becomes an illuminated work of art.