Johannes Stephanus Theron known professionally as Leo Théron (26 March 1926 – 2010) was a South African

stained-glass Stained glass refers to coloured glass as a material or art and architectural works created from it. Although it is traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensio ...

window artist who specialises in the '' dalles de verre'' technique (using glass and concrete).

Early life

Theron was born in Pretoria, the third son of Dutch Reform minister, Johannes Stephanus Theron and his wife, Helena Marais Rossouw.

Education and career

Théron studied art at

Rhodes University Rhodes University () is a public research university located in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It is one of four universities in the province. Established in 1904, Rhodes University is the prov ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

and then at the Ecole des Beaux Arts and

Académie Julian The () was a private art school for painting and sculpture founded in Paris, France, in 1867 by French painter and teacher Rodolphe Julian (1839–1907). The school was active from 1868 through 1968. It remained famous for the number and qual ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

. Returning to South Africa he became involved in designing mosaics and leaded glass windows for new churches. Subsequently he specialized in the technique called ''dalles de verre sous beton'', a method using coloured glass and concrete, developed in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

after the second world war, and which he developed as a distinctive style during a return visit to France in 1964, when he studied the work of

Gabriel Loire Gabriel Loire (April 21, 1904 – December 27, 1996) was a French stained glass artist of the twentieth century whose extensive works, portraying various persons or historical scenes, appear in many venues around the world. He founded the Loire ...

Chartres Chartres () is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Eure-et-Loir Departments of France, department in the Centre-Val de Loire Regions of France, region in France. It is located about southwest of Paris. At the 2019 census, there were 1 ...

, which profoundly informed his approach to the medium. From his studio in Pretoria, South Africa, Théron spent 35 years creating windows for 137 churches, many educational institutions, civic buildings, and private houses. In 1978 he was awarded the medal of honour by the South African Academy for Arts and Science. The major achievement of the ''dalles de verre'' technique is the creation of window walls or walls of light, which can occupy entire walls in churches or other buildings, reaching from floor to ceiling. Théron has spoken of the magic of coloured glass as creating "the prism through which we see into eternity".

Works

In 2000 a retrospective exhibition Leo Théron's work, ''A Life in Glass'', was opened in

Sant Fruitós de Bages Sant Fruitós de Bages () is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of Bages in Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalon ...

, some 55 km from

Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...

. It included more than 50 images of stained-glass windows designed and executed by Théron in South Africa,

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

and

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

. The emphasis was on his liturgical art, both figurative and abstract. Portraits in glass expressing the character and personality of saints and historical figures, were shown in prints of windows in southern Africa, as well as an important work - a window depicting

Saint Francis St. Francis or Saint Francis may refer to: Roman Catholic saints *Francis of Assisi (1181–1226), Italian founder of the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans) *Francis of Paola (1416–1507), Italian (Calabrian) founder of the Order of the Minims * ...

- in a Franciscan monastery church near

Ponticelli Ponticelli is an eastern suburb of Naples, southern Italy with a population of some 70,000 inhabitants. Geography It is located inland, near the highway connections of the city; Barra lies to the south. Ponticelli end with San Giorgio a Cremano, ...

in Italy. Also exhibited were aquarelles of Sant Fruitós de Bages, painted during his visit there in 1996, as well as innovative paintings inspired by his creative work in glass. Théron's ''Dove of Peace'' design was chosen as the symbol of and CD cover for The Millennium Song – a song composed to announce the dawn of the third millennium, released by

Michael Greenacre Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * he He ..., a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name * Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...

. The ''Dove of Peace'' window was installed in the house of Greenacre in

. Windows by Leo Théron are to be seen at: *

St Alban's Cathedral, Pretoria St Albans Cathedral is an Anglican church on Schoeman Street in downtown Pretoria, South Africa. The current cathedral is an extension of an Anglican church built on the property in 1879, which was converted into a cathedral in 1909. The church is ...

* St Cyprian's Cathedral, Kimberley (Holy Spirit windows; St Francis; St Clare) *

Moederkerk, Stellenbosch The Moederkerk (''Mother Church'') in Stellenbosch is the second oldest congregation of the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa. Foundation The congregation was founded, just 21 years after the Groote Kerk in Cape Town, by Rev. Johannes Ov ...

* St Andrew's Church, Newlands *

St George's College, Harare St. George's College is a private Jesuit boys high school in Harare, Zimbabwe. The school, colloquially referred to as Saints or George's, is located along Borrowdale Road, in Harare. The land was donated to the Jesuits. This led to the relocati ...

St Mark's Cathedral, George The Cathedral of St Mark in George, South Africa is the seat of the Diocese of George of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. The present bishop iEdwin Desmond Pockpass History On April 23, 1811, a portion of the District of Swellendam, e ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Theron, Leo 1926 births 2010 deaths South African stained glass artists and manufacturers Rhodes University alumni 20th-century South African artists