Claudio Pellandini. Pioneer in the production of artistic stained glass in Mexico (1872-1927)

Abstract

Claudio Pellandini, of Swiss origin, established his first commercial establishment in Mexico City in 1839. His business focused on the sale of frames, mirror glass, and artistic prints, wallpaper, painter's supplies, gilding, molding, and colors. In July 1899, Claudio Pellandini opened his factory, located on the second street of Comonfort in Mexico City.

The prestige achieved by Casa Pellandini was primarily due to its work in stained glass. It installed numerous stained-glass windows in the country's major public and private buildings. The little known about its production focuses on its stained-glass production, and its large-scale industrial production in the field of glass and crystal is virtually unknown.

Because these ornamental works, used in everyday use, were rarely signed, and because of the fragile nature of their materials, very little of their production survives to this day. Furthermore, the industry's archives have not survived, so the main source for reconstructing its history is the illustrated press of Mexico.

This article aims to reconstruct its production and provide a first approximation of a work record.