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Why did stained-glass colour palettes become lighter and more muted in the 14th and 15th centuries?

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The north rose window at Chartres Cathedral in France, featuring intricate stained glass with vibrant geometric and biblical designs in a large circular and five tall vertical panels. — stained glass The stained-glass rose window in the north transept of Chartres Cathedral, France.

In the 14th and 15th centuries, stained-glass colour palettes shifted toward lighter and more muted tones primarily due to changes in architecture and the resulting light levels within church interiors.1

During the 12th and early 13th centuries, churches were relatively dark, creating a high contrast that allowed deep, saturated colours—such as intense blues and rubies—to appear brilliant and luminous. However, as architectural styles evolved, church walls were increasingly opened up to admit more natural light. This increase in interior light meant that the dense, saturated colours of the earlier period were no longer as effective, as the difference between interior and exterior light levels diminished.1

Consequently, artists developed higher-keyed, drier, and more muted colour harmonies to suit these brighter environments. This shift also reflected a growing aesthetic preference for lighter effects and was supported by technical advancements, such as the ability to produce a wider range of glass colours and the use of silver stains and vitreous enamels to create more refined, translucent tonalities.123