Britain's Most Fragile Treasure

Dr Janina Ramirez presented 'Britain's Most Fragile Treasure' on BBC 4 on 12 October. Dr Ramirez is the Department's new course director for the Certificate in History of Art.

In the show, she examines the history, creation and conservation of the medieval East Window of York Minster. The window is undergoing a five year process of conservation by the York Glaziers Trust, supported by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

The dismantling of the 600 year old window has given Dr Ramirez the opportunity to discover how the window was originally created and designed, and to explore the workmanship of the medieval artist.

Originally the creative vision of a single - and somewhat mysterious - master craftsman called John Thornton, York Minster's East Window offers a rare view into the medieval world.