D'Ascenzo, born in Toricella, Italy in 1871, came to the U.S. in 1882. He created windows for the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, National Cathedral, and the west window of Princeton University Chapel. D'Ascenzo was presented with the gold medal award from the New York Architectural League. [3]
In September of 1906 Theodore W. Koch, Librarian, gave four stained glass windows by Nicola D'Ascenzo to the Library. A set of three windows, two of which are pictured above, were originally made for the Booklover's Library of Philadelphia. They are now located on the south wall of the Reading Room. The fourth window, the ship under full sail, was made a memorial to Edward Lorraine Walter - a distinguished faculty member who was lost at sea on the French steamer La Bourgogne. This window now hangs in the North Hatcher second floor corridor at the entrance to the Reading Room. [3]
