!!!Glas

Glass: In the 14%%sup th/%  century, glass works were established in 
regions of Austria where quartz (raw material) and firewood were found 
in plentiful supply, for example in the Vienna Woods, the Lower 
Austrian region of Waldviertel (Altnagelberg), in Upper Austria and 
the Central Alps. "Wasserglas", greenish-yellowish in colour, (similar 
to Bohemian "forest glass") was produced in the early days. In the 
Middle Ages, many landowners set up their own glass works 
(glass-blowing) on their estates.

\\
In the 16%%sup th/%  century, glass manufacturing experienced its 
first upturn and became an important economic factor, particularly in 
Lower Austria and Tirol. In the glass works at Hall in Tirol (founded 
in 1534) high quality, colourless glass, similar to Venetian 
"cristallo", was produced for the first time in Central Europe. In 
Innsbruck Archduke Ferdinand II established glass works which produced 
glassware for the court. In the style of the late Renaissance, thin 
glasses were decorated by diamond-point engraving, cold-painted with 
red and green colours and gilded. These glass works were shut down in 
1592.

\\
With the rise of mercantilism, Bohemian and Austrian glass works 
achieved international fame. About 70 trading companies brought 
Austrian glass to numerous capitals and important cities in Europe and 
overseas.

\\
In the Baroque period, the art of glass making in Austria experienced 
a new upturn. The new style called for thick-walled glasses cut in 
high-relief engraving (from about 1700: intaglio). In the first half 
of the 18%%sup th/%  century, glasses were gilded and coloured with 
black enamel pigments. F. Egermann, a gifted craftsman born in 
Schluckenau (Sluknov, Czech Republic), in 1777, designed the most 
outstanding and exclusive glasses: "agate glass", "crystal glass" with 
innovative matt polish, "marbled glass", "silver-etched glass", 
"Perlmuttglas" (mother-of-pearl) and "Biskuitglas". His ruby glass was 
made without the addition of mint gold to the raw materials. Glassware 
produced by Austrian glassmakers became one of the most important 
factors in foreign trade. During the reign of Maria Theresia, J. 
Strasser, a Viennese goldsmith, produced glitzy glass stones ("strass" 
or paste) for costume jewellery. During the late 18%%sup th/%  
century, however, it was the Bohemian and Venetian glass makers whose 
works became popular in the Austrian Monarchy.

\\
During the Empire period, some of the most precious pieces of Austrian 
glass were made by J. J.  Mildner at Gutenbrunn in the Waldviertel 
region. His famous Zwischengoldglaeser (gold sandwich glasses), 
characteristic of the Waldviertel region, were both technically 
proficient, as well as beautiful works of art. During the Biedermeier 
period, the art of glassmaking in Austria was refined and this period 
is therefore considered the Golden Age of glassmaking in Austria. As 
in the Empire period, mainly polished, cut and coloured glasses, and 
above all, drinking vessels with transparent or opaque painting were 
manufactured during the Biedermeier period. Noted artists of that 
period include G.S.  Mohn and A.  Kothgasser, who produced some of the 
most beautiful enamelled glasses, J. Haberl at Wiener Neustadt and E. 
Grillwitzer in Graz.

\\
After the introduction of coal-fired furnaces, glass manufacturers set 
up their glass works near coal pits (Oberdorf-Voitsberg, Koeflach 
etc.). Even though competition was very keen, due to significantly 
cheaper pressed glass produced in the United States (around 1830), 
Austrian glass was in very high demand on the world market. Under 
Emperor Franz Joseph, glass exports were eleven times higher than 
imports. Especially high in demand were hollow glassware, table glass, 
mirror glass, light bulbs, lamps, flasks and bottles as well as 
glasses and fashion jewellery from the town of Gablonz (Jablonec, 
Czech Republic). L.  Lobmeyr brought glass making back from a highly 
industrialised level to a more artistic one. His precious pieces and 
his distinctive "Lobmeyr style" are considered the epitome of Viennese 
style. From 1840, J.  Riedel developed a type of yellowish and green 
iridescent glasses, uranium glass, which became very popular, 
especially amongst the Viennese. The reformatory endeavours of R. von  
Eitelberger led to the opening of specialised schools where glass 
makers were trained in draughtsmanship and modelling. The World Trade 
Fair in Vienna in 1873 was an excellent opportunity for Viennese glass 
makers to present their work and yet another proof of the leading 
position of the Austrian glass industry on the European market. When, 
in the late 19%%sup th/%  century, the Vienna Arts and Crafts Museum 
was founded, it became a forum for everyone interested or involved in 
glass making.

\\
From 1906, the most important glass artists were closely associated 
with the Wiener Werkstaetten, among them O.  Prutscher, J.  Hoffmann, 
D.  Peche, K.  Moser). During World War I, the architect O.  Strnad 
designed a simple, rectangular tumbler with a thick, highly polished 
bottom. This form was further developed by A.  Loos and became a 
revolutionary concept for the international glass industry.

\\
Up until the 20%%sup th/%  century the production of optical devices 
was of major importance in Austria (above all, due to inventions by S. 
 Ploessl, L. Lobmeyr, J.  Petzval, and P. W. F.  
Voigtlaender). Nowadays, companies like Swarovski in Tirol are still 
well known all around the world.

\\
Glass works in Tirol, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Styria, the 
province of Salzburg and Vienna ( Glass Industry) still enjoy an 
excellent reputation. In recent years it has not only been the 
large-scale production sites that have produced well designed, high 
quality glass, but also small-scale businesses in traditional 
glassmaking regions like the Waldviertel.

!Literature
I. Schlosser, Das alte Glas, 1956; W. Neuwirth, Loetz 
Austria 1905-1918, exhibition catalogue., Linz 1986; idem, Glas 
1950-1960, exhibition catalogue, Salzburg 1987; idem, Vom Biedermeier 
zum Art Deco, 1993.


%%language
[Back to the Austrian Version|AEIOU/Glas|class='wikipage austrian']
%%

[{FreezeArticle author='AEIOU' template='Lexikon_1995_englisch'}]
[{ALLOW view All}][{ALLOW comment All}][{ALLOW edit FreezeAdmin}]