In the picturesque valley of the Hudson River lies the Kykuit estate, owned by the Rockefeller family. This place is recognized as a cultural and historical monument of the USA, as four generations of this family, which made significant contributions to the development of the country, lived here. Nearby the estate is a small church, whose windows also hold cultural value. The Rockefellers commissioned stained glass from Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall, allowing their fellow countrymen to admire the works of these world-renowned masters.

The idea to install the first stained glass in the Pocantico Hills church was proposed by Nelson Rockefeller, who commissioned a painting for the round window from Henri Matisse. The artist, who was 84 years old, completed the sketches and chose the glass for the "Rose Window" just two days before his death. After the death of John D. Rockefeller Jr., his sons decided to install a second stained glass in his honor, so that the two windows, located opposite each other, would symbolize the bond of people who lived a long and happy life together.

To realize this idea, the brothers turned to Marc Chagall. In 1964, opposite the round "Rose," the stained glass "The Good Samaritan" appeared. Inspired by Chagall's work, the Rockefellers commissioned a series of eight stained glass windows from him. The cycle included seven windows on themes from the Old Testament and one window "Crucifixion" based on a New Testament plot, installed in memory of Nelson Rockefeller's son, Michael. While there are several other stained glass works by Marc Chagall in America, the nine windows in the Pocantico Hills church represent the only series of stained glass paintings by the artist available for viewing in the USA.