Rudolf R. Sandon was a world-renowned stained glass artist whose work can be viewed in over 500 churches across the United States and Europe. He was born September 12, 1916, in Rome, Italy and immigrated to Cleveland in 1946 where he established the first stained glass studio in Ohio.
Sandon was the sixth generation of his family to practice the art of stained glass. He was taught by his father, Arthur, with whom he fashioned prominent windows for the royal families of Bulgaria, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
His glasswork ranged from the classic, representational styles of traditional churches to the abstract, and it can be found in churches, Islamic mosques and Jewish temples around the world. His last commission adorns the non-denominational chapel at the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland.
Some of Sandon's numerous awards include gold medals for painting from the International Exposition of Ecclesiastical Art in 1932 and for stained glass achievement from the Academy of Philadelphia in 1959, as well as two Craftsmanship Awards in Stained Glass in Cleveland in 1959 and 1966.
Although he was best known for his artistry in stained and faceted glass, Rudolf Sandon's accomplishments went far beyond that. As a member of the Italian Cross-country ski team, he won a gold medal at the 1936 winter Olympics. He was a decorated officer who led Italian Alpine troops in WWII, and later held a commission as a lieutenant colonel in the US Marine Corps Reserve. He also held several mountain climbing records and competed in fencing.
Sandon spoke five languages (Italian, English, German, Latin, and French) and was a master interpreter of the bible. He held doctorates in engineering, architecture, and art history from the University of Padua, and a fourth doctorate in theology from the University of Rome.
Much of Mr. Sandon's work may be found throughout Greater Cleveland, where he lived and worked for almost 30 years before moving to upstate New York for easier access to ski slopes and open spaces. Along with Our Lady of the Lake, other local buildings graced by his artistry include Trinity Lutheran Church in Willoughby, and First Church Congressional and St. John's Home for Girls, both in Painesville.
Sandon died of cancer on January 24, 1992 at the age of 75.
