Artists have worked wonders with glass ever since its discovery. A look at glass art…
Is glass a solid or an exceptionally slow-moving liquid? While scientists have not been able to figure that out, artists have worked wonders with glass ever since it was discovered in 3500 BC in Mesopotamia. Glass is an incredibly versatile substance to work with. Its ability to withstand extreme temperatures, resistance to chemical reactions and transparency make it ideal for use as vessels and window panes and also enables artists to give free rein to their creativity as they fashion beautiful objets d'art.
Artworks created from glass can be categorised into three types:
Glass art – large modem glass sculptures, usually displayed in public spaces. For example. "The Sun" created by American glass sculptor Dale Chihuly.
Art glass – small decorative pieces, designed especially for display at home (not for daily use) such as crystal ware from reputed brands.
Studio glass – sculptures or three-dimensional artworks. These include beautiful works of art like stained glass and Murano glass.
Gothic churches of Europe take pride in their lustrous stained glass windows. Each window was carefully crafted by piecing together small bits of coloured glass to form an intricate mosaic, be it a biblical scene or simply a geometric pattern. The glass pieces were held in place by soldered metal strips. The rose windows of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris are spectacular examples of this art form.
Picture Credit : Google
