Printed banner replicates medieval stained-glass window

Published On: January 1, 2009

The Great East Window at York Minster, completed in 1408, is the largest surviving expanse of medieval glass in England, but is being removed from the cathedral’s Lady Chapel for long-term restoration. Visitors to the historic minster will instead be treated to a life-sized replica, a 378-square-meter banner printed in 18 sections on an HP Designjet 10000 printer.

Electronic Print Services Ltd. (EPS), Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, printed the Great East Window on epiflex, a non-mesh substrate, and the 18 sections were fabric moulded together. Accurate color reproduction was “a crucial part of the project,” says Steve Farley, managing director of EPS. “Using HP’s low-solvent inks allowed us to successfully replicate the wide range of colors on the window.” EPS has been using the HP Designjet technology to move into the fine art market, where reproductions can stand in for priceless original artwork during conservation processes that may take years.