The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings. Although traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensional structures and sculpture

Sculpture

Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...

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Modern vernacular usage has often extended the term "stained glass" to include domestic leadlight

Leadlight

Leadlights or leaded lights are decorative windows made of small sections of glass supported in lead cames. The technique of creating windows using glass and lead came is discussed at lead came and copper foil glasswork...

 and objets d'art created from lead came and copper foil glasswork

Lead came and copper foil glasswork

Lead came and copper foil glasswork are the arts and crafts of cutting colored glass and joining the pieces into picturesque designs.The traditional method uses lead came...

 exemplified in the famous lamps of Louis Comfort Tiffany

Louis Comfort Tiffany

Louis Comfort Tiffany was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is the American artist most associated with the Art Nouveau  and Aesthetic movements...

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As a material stained glass is glass that has been coloured by adding metallic salts during its manufacture.