A potted history of some of the greatest art glass makers from right across the globe. From Roman right up to 21-century artists.
Glass producers have come a long way since they first began producing glass beads in Egyptian times.
Now, makers of glass are showing off their skills to a very high degree. So much so, that modern glass artists are often feted as fine art glass artists.
The Medium With A Message: Hazel MacLennan’s Environmentally-Conscious Hand Blown Art Glass Any collector of hand blown art glass knows that this art form has the power to deeply enrich our lives on an individual level. In brightening and beautifying our homes, blown glass uplifts our minds and our spirits, creating an oasis of peace […]
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Loetz was one of the leading Bohemian art glass makers, working in the Art Nouveau era. The Loetz Art Glass company was founded by Johann Loetz in 1840 and became renowned for its bold colours, ground-breaking techniques and organic forms. Loetz art glass was at its peak between around 1890-1920, with its products being manufactured
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Before the industrial revolution centralised the production of goods in urban areas, the forests and towns of central Europe were peppered with small glassworks. The craft was, for many, a way of life. Whole families would spend their days shaping glass pieces from furnace to finish, with the finest details often being painted by the
Kosta Boda Glass: The Triumph Of The ‘Kingdom Of Crystal’ Continue Reading »
Scandinavia is a region defined by its natural splendour: From long aurora-lit winter nights to clear streams full of striving wild fish and forests resplendent with soaring pines, this northern landscape is nothing short of breathtaking. It’s therefore unsurprising that its natural hues and motifs often made their way into the best Swedish art glass,
Swedish Art Glass: The History Of Orrefors Glassworks & Graal Glass Continue Reading »
The Passionate Artist: How Emile Galle Glass Art Reshaped An Industry Collectors today have so many antique art glass styles to choose from that it’s easy to forget how contemporary the concept of ‘art glass’ really is. Yet a brief look through the types of glass popular with collectors today—such as vaseline glass, depression glass, and carnival glass—reveals
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The Italian island of Murano is renowned for its historic glass factories, which have prospered in the face of events including World War 2 and the more recent economic downturn. The island is home to iconic and highly reputable brands including Venini, De Biasi and Salviati to name but a few. The glass manufacturers of
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From Venice To Fenton Art Glass: The History Of Milk Glass In the world of art glass, much is said about the appeal of whirls of colour and shimmering iridescence; from the many-faceted delights of millefiori to the distracting gasoline glimmer of carnival glass, both collectors and glassmakers have drawn centuries of enjoyment from the
Fenton Art Glass: The History of Milk Glass Continue Reading »
How Early Man Used, Traded, and Manufactured Glass Part 1: Origins For centuries, it was believed that our love of glass—like so much of what we enjoy and take for granted today—probably began in ancient Rome. This assumption was largely based upon the writings of the Roman historian Pliny the Elder, who suggested that Phoenician
Black Glass: Before There Was Glassblowing Continue Reading »
Long before the artisans of Western Europe discovered how to perfect the art of glassblowing, some of the greatest glass masters in history—whose names have largely been lost—were active in ancient Rome, making everything from plain cups and jugs to intricate cameos and vases. While many of the more impressive works of Roman glass, such
Glass Masters: Roman Glass Continue Reading »
During a prior retrospective on the life and art of Canadian glass sculptor James Houston published here at Boha, the subject of Steuben glass naturally arose; namely, that the firm, once reputed to produce the clearest crystal on Earth, had closed its doors—presumably forever—in 2011. However, what appeared to be yet another sad end to
Steuben Glass – A Phoenix Rising? Continue Reading »