Glorious Glass and Lost Knowledge

The Blashkas were father and son #glass artists from Bohemia, born in the 19th Century, making glass eyes was the initial family business. Their peerless and prolific work on plant and marine forms took place in an era when preservation methods lost much in the way of colour, form and detail. This and their skills led to commissions from collectors and museums around the world. As neither took an apprentice, many of their methods and techniques have been lost. I came across a small selection of their works some years ago in the National History Museum but had no idea until a few weeks ago, that there is a beautiful collection at Norwich Castle Museum. Their use of borosilicate (I use a softer glass that lends itself less to sculpture) is breathtaking. Inspired further reading :) ‘A Sea of Glass’ by Drew Harvell 2016.