Annemiekpunt.nl > Nieuwe Kerk Delft > The Design -
On 7 November, 2003, Annemiek Punt won the competition for a new window in the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft with her stained glass design. The design represents the raising of Jairus’ daughter. The main elements of the design are hands, a face and a butterfly. The window offers several ‘viewing layers’, each of which appeals to the individual viewer. After all, there is so much more to see than just a hand, face or butterfly.
Parts of the church window suggest a cocoon, butterfly wings, various interwoven faces and a hand at the bottom that points the child towards the light. By not working out everything in detail, the viewer’s imagination is constantly stimulated, resulting in a window that will continue to intrigue for years to come, no matter from which angle it is viewed (somewhat like a child looking at the clouds and continuously discovering new shapes and figures).
It is as if a new window is ‘reborn’ with every new day. Depending on the season, weather and time of day, different elements emerge each time as a result of changing angles of incidences of light rays. The viewer’s mood is also reflected in the church window and affects their perception of the representation. In the evening, when the church is illuminated from the inside, the playful interplay of lines can clearly be seen from the outside, resulting in a line pattern that links up with the other church windows.
The face of Jairus’ daughter can be distinguished in different ways. The child symbolises ‘life’, resurrection, the future and youth.
At the top is a hand, representing Jesus laying hands. The hands also represent the security and safety offered by Jesus; in other words, Jairus’ daughter is safe in Jesus’ hands.
The butterfly symbolises the resurrection of Jairus’ daughter, from which the future takes shape.
The design carefully takes into account the various angles of incidences of light and is befitting the church’s existing light architecture.