In our two most recent pieces, Black Glass: Before There Was Glassblowing and Coloured Glass: Before The Age of Glass Blowing, we examined the motivations (both practical and cultural) that shaped the genesis of glassmaking. We also explored the ancient trade routes that helped spread glass art around the world, spurring innovations that would ultimately […]
Glass Art: Early Glass Manufacturing Techniques Continue Reading »
Before There Was Glass Blowing Part 2 – The Bronze Age: As the Chalcolithic Age slowly gave way to the Bronze Age and primitive settlements began to coalesce into powerful urban centres, the desire for individual expression and status – conveyed through personal adornment – intensified rapidly. It is therefore little wonder that the very
Coloured Glass: Before The Age of Glass Blowing 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 »
The term “Murano glass”, widely used to describe the colourful, intricate pieces that flow out of Italy into the eager hands of collectors even today, does not refer to a specific glass manufacturer; instead, this label is born of location. The Murano islands, a small cluster of land masses that dot the turquoise waters of
Murano Glass Blowing Continue Reading »
The Modern Masterpieces of Sarah Hall: Art Glass For the Planet There is no doubt that Sarah Hall’s work holds its own against the best of Canadian art glass; from the shimmering, twisting blues of her panels at B.C.’s Regent College, to the vivid golden-umber autumn scene placed outside York University in Toronto, to the
Canadian Art Glass Artist: Sarah Hall 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 »
When studying antique art glass, it’s easy to get caught up in the grandiosity of it all—towering stained glass windows shattering the sun into a thousand colours, tall vases which swirl with galactic patterns, and great bowls and platters adorned with intricate scenes and figures that hold all the grace of the classical age. There
Antique Art Glass: Bohemian Buttons Continue Reading »
Iridescent Dreams: The Story of Louis Comfort Tiffany There is no question that in the realm of Art Nouveau glass, and within the aesthetic of Art Nouveau as a whole, Louis Comfort Tiffany is the stuff of legend. Best known for being the father of Tiffany art glass, Louis Tiffany helped to establish America as
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Monart Glass: Designs and Production Techniques The designs used for Monart glass pieces are, by and large, typical of the handmade art glass of the era; what truly sets Monart apart from its contemporaries is its use of colour. Monart glass is, for example, much loved by collectors for the distinctive iridising of the white
Handmade Art Glass: Monart Glass Continue Reading »
The Art Nouveau and Art Deco Eras After the Napoleonic Wars drew to a close in 1815, Bohemia was once again free to begin a steady ascent towards the pinnacle of glassmaking, and retake the crown that had by then been passed to England. It would take some time before the Bohemian glass artists caught
Czech Art Glass Continue Reading »