I’ve got to add this site while I write of Kykuit. The Union Church of Pocantico Hills is not far from the entrance of Kykuit, just a short drive up Route 448. It is not to be missed. You can add this site to your Kykuit tour, or you can do as we did and drive up. For the $5.00 entry fee, a docent will give you the history of the church as well as an explanation of the magnificent stained glass windows.
The church, founded by John D. Rockefeller, Sr., and supported by the Rockefeller family over the years, became part of the Historic Hudson Valley network in 1984, in part to assure the preservation of the magnificent stained glass windows.
Why are the windows so important? One, The Rose Window, is the last completed work by Henri Matisse, arguably the most important French painter of the twentieth century. Matisse completed the paper cut design for the window a mere two days before he died. This window was dedicated in 1956 to Abby Aldrich Rockefeller who also founded the Museum of Modern Art. The family, in fact, called MOMA, Mother’s Museum.
The other windows are the work of Marc Chagall, the Russian-born artist who made his home in France. The large one in the rear of the church is dedicated to John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and was inspired by the parable of the Good Samaritan. The family saw that story as a reflection of his philanthropic endeavors.
Of the eight side windows created by Chagall in 1966, one is a memorial to Michael Rockefeller, Nelson’s son who died in New Guinea on an anthropological expedition.
The other six depict different prophets from the Old Testament: Joel, Ezekiel, Elijah, Daniel, Jeremiah, and Isaiah. One recognizes some familiar Chagall techniques in the blues and the birds.
The size of the windows, the close proximity to great art, and the quiet nobility and serenity of the church provoke a deep, emotional reaction. No one need ask for quiet; it is almost impossible to speak above a whisper. One cannot escape or forget the spiritual nature of the space and the art, and visiting is a deeply moving experience. Don’t miss this moment.
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