Book Description

"The Glasmuseum Hentrich in Dusseldorf's museum kunst palast, one of the world's most wide-ranging glass collections, is the basis for this generously illustrated exploration of glass art from prehistory to the present, written by the collection's longtime director, Helmut Ricke." "Glass was the first man-made material, and nearly every civilization made use of its flexibility, resilience, and variety. Brimming with colorful images from the collection as well as maps and drawings, this book covers all periods of glassmaking from pre-Roman, Roman, Islamic, Mediaeval, Renaissance and Baroque times, the nineteenth century and up to the 1990s. It includes stunning examples of enameled and cut glass, as well as elaborate works from Persia, India and China, all of which influenced the Art Nouveau period, widely considered the hey-day of decorative glass. A detailed appendix provides background information on the mechanics of glass, including smelting, refining, and manufacturing."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved