The emergence of the Roman reticulated cup in the third century AD marked a period of growth for the art of glass. The mesh cup is a result of the mesh lace that surrounds the outside of the container, and the carefully etched scenes are presented one by one on the thick glass. This production technology for the twentieth century glass craftsmen aspired to, and attempted to reproduce this style by mold casting. At the beginning of the twentieth century, British craftsman Frederic RCarder (founder of SteubenGlass), American craftsmen Karla Trinkley and Barry Sauter, and Japanese Etsuko Nishi all reinterpreted this traditional art technique. and Etsuko Nishi of Japan have reinterpreted this traditional art technique.
Renaissance Venice, where glassmaking dates back a thousand years, saw craftsmen create unrivaled delicacy and fanciful glass forms, and this mysterious and aristocratic glassware dominated the glassmaking world until the rise of the Early Glass Movement studios in the 1960s.
In the 18th century, the extraordinary glass of Venice declined in favor of the intricately crafted clear crystal of England and Ireland. However, glass's particular ability to evoke whimsical fantasies was revived at the end of the nineteenth century by Art Nouveau designers, who utilized its high degree of malleability to create intricate and complex forms.
Before the end of the twentieth century, the world of glass products, no matter where they come from or what kind of shape, are not designed for the needs of the market, very few craftsmen can express their own ideas in glass, 1922 was born in the United States in northern New York, Harvey Littleton, a pioneering breakthrough in this situation. He initiated an epoch-making movement in the history of glass art - glass art studio movement. Movement in the early days. Focused on how to learn how to blow glass, which adhered to Harvey _ Littleton has been pursuing the goal of allowing craftsmen to have direct access to glass for artistic creation. He hoped that he and other glass crafters would not be forced to make mass-produced utilitarian implements in order to cater to consumer and market preferences. Instead, they were free to express their own views on aesthetics in a free space. This goal changed the tradition of glass and made the United States a pioneer in the glass art studio movement.
The glass art movement, with craftsmen independently producing glass artworks in tiny studios, has injected new blood into the art of glass as a new art group and with a new, free concept of creating glass artworks, opening up new horizons for glass art. "In the battle between fire and temperature, glass transforms light and space, and it changes our perception of the world around us; here, the flare of fire and the cooled icy clarity blatantly mark the artist's presence." The Glass Art Studio movement launched a group of glass art masters who became the mainstay of the movement. They poured in their interpretations of themselves in their respective works. Czechoslovakians Stanislav Lipinski and Garel Shreva Blehva are not only an artistic couple, but also creators of superb glass art. As a skilled painting and sculpting couple they influence each other, sculpting being their mainstay, and painting with a keen sense of the effects of light, so that their work encompasses an appreciation of aesthetics and a dual interest in lively color, and they know how to use light in the glass to breathe life into its interior, a visual magic that gives their artwork even more scope for development. Japan's Johei Fujita, who grew up with modern glass art in Japan and later became one of its key figures, can evoke a permanent nostalgia for the traditional Japanese way of life. The fusion of glass and precious metals in his work has a strong Zen feel and gives him a special sense of color. Italian Levi Seguso, born in Venice, combines the traditional techniques of glass blowing with optical cutting, comprehending the inclusiveness of light in glass against the fine art representation of the sphere, the ellipse, and the quadrilateral, and the geometric shapes of his works seem to express a questioning of the plasticity of glass, as well as to make a complete interpretation for the modern sculpture. The American Dale Chihuly is a household name. As the first American glass artist to work in Venice, Chihuly inherited traditional Venetian techniques and learned the value of group work, as glass blowing is accomplished with many hands. Chihuly's spiraling of the glass around the vessel itself expresses his feelings for the sea and for nature in the material. The art of glass blowing is a highly technical art that usually takes 5-7 years to master. It is also a collaborative art that requires a lot of cooperation and coordination, which Chihuly has learned the hard way, and that is why he has been able to bring out the charm of glass in the best possible way.
The above briefly talked about the history of the development of glass art in the West and the current situation. In China, there have been unearthed glass products thousands of years ago, but due to the fact that glass was not valued by the people in the feudal era of China, as well as the people's preference for metal craft, lacquer craft, ceramic craft, etc., the glass art can hardly find any traces of tradition in China. In fact, glass beads were invented in China as early as the third and fourth centuries BC. It was not until the end of the fifth century A.D. that the blowing method was introduced. The Kangxi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, who was y influenced by the West, set up a factory in 1680 to produce glass, and the works of this period were simple and very Chinese, mostly inspired by the shape of porcelain, and decorated with brocade-like dragon patterns, scroll patterns and flower patterns. Because glass is not valued by the people, there is no big development in China, and not popularized in people's lives, so the "exquisite skill" of glass products still stops, its goal and value are shrinking. After the founding of the country due to the party and state leaders of the traditional handmade emphasis and the development of daily-use industry, the country's major cities have built glass factories, but most of them to some kind of functional, decorative or vessel appearance, these are both with the traditional functionality, decorative, but also with the sculptural products, artistic content has been declining day by day, and become industrialized.
After China's reform and opening up, under the tide of the world's glass development, China's glass artists continue to introduce foreign advanced technology and production experience, so that the glass art in the local area has been a great development. For example, the blown glass in Dalian has been able to compete with the foreign advanced level in terms of production technology. The impact of the new glass art movement and Chinese traditional culture will surely make China's glass art have a rapid development, a new glass art movement will be set off in China. The development of Chinese glass art needs a large number of artists with the spirit of struggle to join, what we have to do is not to wait and see, but to participate in this torrent, so that the storm of glass art to come more violently!
From the Department of Arts and Crafts, Academy of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University
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History of Glass
Preface
The emergence and use of glass has a history of more than 4,000 years in the life of mankind, starting from the 2,000 years of the Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. In Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt, small glass beads have been found. In China, glass has been made to a greater or lesser extent since the Warring States period. Generally speaking, Chinese glass technology has been heavily influenced by the West, but the composition of lead glass, which contains barium, is different from that of the West's sodium glass, which does not contain lead or barium. In Taiwan, the development of glass has a history of nearly a hundred years, the Japanese during the Japanese colonial era, Japan set up in Hsinchu, Taiwan, high-level glass factory, set up because of Taiwan's production of silica sand and an abundance of natural gas, prompting the establishment of glass factories in the future, also one after another.
Glass in Taiwan
In Taiwan, the development of glass has a history of about 100 years. In the early days, it was mainly used for manufacturing industrial instruments and civil necessities. Natural gas (as a fuel) is one of the key reasons why the glass industry is concentrated in the Hsinchu area. The glass industry in the Hsinchu area first branched out from industrial glass (instruments or daily necessities). Hollow and solid glass were developed around the 1960s, while drawn glass began in the 1970s.
Glass crafts were initially sold domestically, but with Taiwan's export-oriented development strategy, glass crafts also shifted to export-oriented. During the 1970s and 1980s, there were two waves of prosperity. However, there have also been periods of recession (such as the early 1980s). Labor shortage has been a major concern for the glass industry in recent years.
Taiwan's glass development
1887
In 1887
The 13th year of the Guangxu period
Mr. Chen Liangcheng set up a glassware factory in Taipei, which was mainly based on the use of crucible kilns and hand-blown glassware, and opened up the prelude to the glass industry in Taiwan.
1895
Meiji 38
Taipei businessman, Mr. Chen Wanyuan, hired Japanese glass technicians to manufacture glassware in Taiwan, but the factory was closed down after only a few years due to poor performance.
1915
4 years after the Taisho era
Japanese businessman Mr. Takashigumi came to Taiwan for the first time to set up a factory to manufacture glass bottles, but the factory was closed down after only a few years due to poor performance.
1916
In the 5th year of the Taisho era
Japanese Nakazawa came to Taiwan to set up a factory in Taipei with the glass merchant "Yongtai Long", but due to the Japanese policy and the impact of the war, the factory was unable to produce significant results.
1922
In the 11th year of the Taisho era
Japan's famous Tomei Bottle Manufacturing Company came to Taiwan to set up a bottle factory with the Monopoly Bureau (renamed after the war), specializing in the manufacture of coffee-colored bottles for the Monopoly Bureau.
1925
In 1925
The 14th year of the Taisho era
Mr. Liao Qiming set up the Synthetic Glass Factory in Hsinchu, China, to manufacture glass products for daily use, such as glass floats for fishing, kerosene lamps, fly lamps, signal lamps for the military, and test tubes for medical use.
1928
In 1928
3 years after the Showa era
Tung Ming Bottle Manufacturing Company set up more plants to manufacture other kinds of glass containers and introduced the OWENS automatic bottle-making machine, which was the beginning of the automatic bottle-making industry in Taiwan, and laid a good foundation for the glass industry in Taiwan during this period.
1930
Showa 5 years
This period, the public widely optimistic about the future of the glass industry in Taiwan, since then the Taiwanese or Japanese have invested in dozens of glass factories, the production range of medical equipment, measuring instruments, chemical laboratory equipment, etc., all of which are transparent glass. In Hsinchu City Street, the earliest emergence of the "Shibayama Nitrous Manufacturing", the production of thermometers and hydrometers glass company (factory site in the present-day Hsinchu Library across from the old site), the company later merged with the famous Japanese "Momoki Nitrous Manufacturing"; Hsinchu Momoki Nitrous Manufacturing, is the Japanese head office of the branch in Taiwan, Taiwan, the presiding officer of the Momoki's grandfather, who studied in the United States during the Meiji period of all kinds of glass production technology. In Taiwan, the factory has dozens of employees, most of them are Taiwanese, and the employees learn a lot of techniques from the Hyakumoto's. (Note: Nitro's factory is a branch of the Japanese headquarter in Taiwan. (Note: nitrate is Japanese, GLASS, is glass)
1939
Showa 14 years
When the Sino-Japanese war intensified, the Japanese Governor General's Office set up the "Taiwan Senior Nitrate Corporation", with a staff of about 200 people, and [Momoki Nitrate Manufacturing (mentioned above)] merged with the production of chemical laboratory equipment for medicine, military equipment and vials for injections. At that time, the company produced chemical laboratory instruments for medicine, military instruments, and vials for injections, which were supplied to pharmaceutical companies on the whole island of Taiwan and to pharmaceutical companies in Japan. In the late stage of the company, the company set up the "Skill Training Institute" to train new employees, and the person in charge of the Institute was Mr. Chen Chien-hsiang, and the organization had a great influence on the development of the glass industry in Hsin-chu, and almost all of the ancestors of Hsin-chu's glass industry today were born at that time at the "Senior Nitronics Co. (Note: At that time, Western medicine (injection therapy) was prevalent in the Japanese medical profession, and some of the injections produced by the Japanese pharmaceutical industry were used for medical treatment of the Japanese army on the battlefields in mainland China.
1945
Republic of China 34 years
The end of the Second World War, Taiwan was restored, the national government took over the Japanese-run 10 glass business units, reorganized and organized into seven glass manufacturing plants, the use of the original equipment and professionals, to expand the export of the first production of the Bureau of Public Commodities special wine bottles, hot-water bottles and other utensils, and then the production of medical equipment and chemical, industrial instruments and other products. Then we produced medical equipment and chemical and industrial instruments.
1949
Republic of China (R.O.C.) 38
Due to the expansion of market demand, the number of private glass factories increased to 29.
1953
42nd year of R.O.C.
The Hsinchu Glass Company was founded by the president, Mr. Chen Sang-Wen, and started to produce flat glass for building materials.
1960
R.O.C. 49
The Hsinchu Glass Company established the China Glass Industry Research Institute and set up a glass craft kiln, which was the beginning of Taiwan's glass craftsmanship. At the beginning of the company's production, handmade vases with sandblasted patterns were produced, and the patterns were based on ancient paintings, and then the company developed into glass sculptures of animals and townships that had a slightly more artistic taste.
1962
Republic of China 51 years
"United Glass Company" was founded, Chairman Miao Yuxiu, set up in Jhongli City, the production of high-quality 24% P60 crystal glass, is Taiwan's first crystal glass factory, but because of the raw materials from foreign countries, the cost is expensive, competition in the international market is difficult, closed a few years later.
1964
In 1964
Taiwan Glass Company was founded to produce polished glass.
1970
Central Glass Fiber Corporation was established to produce glass insulation wool for refrigerators.
1971
ROC 60
The Wusong Glass Company was established to produce glass animals and wenzhen for export. "Philips came to Taiwan to invest in TV tubes, which started the development of Taiwan's electronic glass industry.
1973
In 1973
The world oil crisis and the 10-fold increase in fuel prices forced Taiwan's glass industry to move towards high-quality and design-oriented products.
1974
In 1974
The Hsinchu Glass Company set up an automotive glass factory.
1987
76 R.O.C.
The Glazing Studio was established in Taipei County and was the first studio to utilize the PATE-DE-VERRE technique.
1988
Republic of 77
Because of the market downturn and the high cost of labor in Taiwan, the glass industry is declining year by year.
1990
79
The glass industry Mr. Tsai Song-ping gave his first speech at the Hsinchu Cultural Center, advocating the transformation of the Hsinchu area towards a new trend of glassworks, which attracted an enthusiastic response, and co-organized with the Cultural Center, the "Phoenix of Fire" glass exhibition in Kaohsiung.
1993
ROC 82
Liuyuan was founded. Hsinchu Municipal Cultural Center held the 1st Golden Glass Award Competition in Hsinchu.
1994
ROC 83
The Chugai Glass Association was established, with Mr. Tsai Song-ping as the first chairman, Pan Kuo-hyun, Chen Yu-shu, Huang An-fu, Wang Shui-jih, Chien Shui-ming, Chen Chuan-shui, Chen San-lang, and Huang Bao-hsueh as the directors, and Zheng Ah-lagen, Wu Chun-chi, and Chiu Shui-yao as the supervisors, and the Second Golden Glass Award was held again.
1995
In 1984
The Hsinchu Municipal Cultural Center hosted the First Bamboo Valley International Glass Art Festival. Theme: To make the local traditional glass industry, combined with history, art, science and technology and international vision of the full range of culture.
1997
In 1997
The Second Jhuche International Glass Art Festival was held at the Hsinchu Municipal Cultural Center. Theme: The Beauty of Glass, The Use of Glass.
1999
In 1999
The Third Jhuche International Glass Art Festival was held at the Hsinchu Municipal Cultural Center. Themes: New Vision of Glass, Permanent Exhibition of Glass, Special Exhibition of Glass Education in Taiwan, Glass Experience and Introduction to Glass Techniques.
Float: Fishermen choose the right size float to attach to their nets according to the size of their nets and the depth of the water to make their nets float on the surface of the water.
Pharmaceutical and chemical instruments
Perfume containers
Modern handmade works
Equipment
Glass production can be divided into large-scale production and individual production. In large-scale factories, the equipment required includes kilns, crucibles, molds, sanding machines, and ovens. Depending on the finished product, there are also different kinds of equipment. At present, kilns are generally categorized into gas kilns, heavy oil kilns and electric kilns. The electric kiln is better than other kilns because of its low cost and cleaner and non-polluting. The tools required for individual production are spitfire nozzle, oxcart and molding tools, etc. We will introduce them as follows: Tools and equipment required for large-scale production
Oven: The products that are melted and burned at high temperature have to be annealed in the oven.
Crucible: a device to contain the raw materials of glass.
Furnace: The main purpose of the furnace is to melt the glass material, and the crucible needs to keep high temperature for 24 hours
Individual tools and equipment needed for production
The tongs needed for glass molding.
The oxcart: the main role in the heat preservation and preheating, on the one hand, to save the glass heating operation time, on the other hand, to avoid the glass rupture in the instant heating.
Fire-breathing nozzle: the main purpose in the glass softening, in order to line.
The glass making process
If you want to taste the traditional glass making process outside of the colorful glass exhibition, then go to the glass factory, where a group of glass masters who love the old-fashioned taste of glass are still sticking to their traditional posts. When you visit the old glass factory, the heat, the kiln, the glass blowing masters, and the finished glass products all over the floor are like another world, where the old images that would never appear in modern life are shown in their original form. The glass-making process can be divided into two types: hot-end work and cold-end work.
Hot End
Fusing Glass Tubes
The first step in the glass making process is to put the long glass rods into the kiln at 1300 degrees Celsius to melt and burn them, and then take out the rods, and you'll see that the front of the rods are burned red, hot, and soft, and have lost their original color, but this is the best time for blowing or molding them. The time to blow or mold.
Blowing or molding
These two techniques are used to shape the glass. Molding is the simpler process, where you insert the tip of the hot glass rod into the mold, close the teeth, and you're done! Blowing glass takes a little more effort! In order to prevent the front end of the glass from falling off, the glassblower must keep turning the glass rod in his hand while blowing, which is a new and interesting sight for those who are new to the world of glass. It takes about a year to train a skilled glassblower to get on the right track, and it takes a lot of suffering from the summer heat and the frustration of failed blowing, but it's also the preciousness and value of the glass that makes it so special.
The first cooling
Because the glass semi-finished products, inside and outside the density of the difference, it is easy to make the semi-finished products suffered twisted and deformed accidents, so there is a need to slowly cool down this stage, this step needs to be previously made glass semi-finished products on the first cooling conveyor belt, but also experienced a period of blood boiling high temperatures in 500 degrees Celsius slow melting! Every step of the process is taken care of. From the outside of the conveyor belt, the view from the inside is like asphalt on a hot summer's day, and even the air feels like it's on fire. After this step, there is another cooling process. After a **** of high temperatures, a completed glass life is born!
Cold-end work
The creation of glass by sandblasting, engraving, cutting, polishing, painting, and inlaying without using hot techniques is called cold-end work. The sandblasting technique restrains the sharpness of the glass and gives it a deep and hazy feeling; the composition of the grinding and carving method enriches the appearance of the glass; and the cutting method gives the glass a dazzling appearance under the refraction of different angles. For those who are afraid of the heat but love to work with glass, consider this "cool" way of making glass.
Individual production and common techniques
As far as the individual production of glass art is concerned, in the Hsinchu area, glass rods are used as the main material, and the production procedure is to heat form and then cool down the glass rods, and the glass rods used vary according to the finished product, including the so-called hollow rods, solid rods, and brushed rods. As for the common techniques, there are six types.
Thermal molding technique
Glass molding technique, using a spit as a tool, holding a glass rod in each hand, rotating the glass rod in the flame constantly, making it melt to the required amount, and then molding it by using the gestures of pointing, pulling, melting, cutting, pressing, and so on.
Drawing Technique
The drawing and weaving of glass into fine strands of glass is known as drawing glass, and the drawn work is like the curling of a sweater.
Hollow technique
The hollow glass tubes are heated and blown into shapes called hollow glass, such as Christmas light bulbs.
Blowing Technique
Blowing is the basic step of taking glass paste from a blowpipe and blowing it from the other end to expand the glass (blowing small bubbles) so that it is hollowed out and shaped.
Dewaxing Technique
Turning the silicone mold and fixing it with plaster, filling it with wax liquid, cooling it and taking the wax mold prototype for finishing, embedding the wax mold with fire-resistant plaster, warming up and dewaxing it, taking the mold of plaster, filling the glass block into the mold and heating it up and melting it, and then condensing it to shape and trimming it off the mold.
Grinding and engraving technique
Commonly used in the body or bottom of glass cups, the geometric shapes are engraved on the glass with a diamond wheel cutter or a copper wheel, in order to meet the performance and demand for special glass components and to increase the value of the product.
Solid glass Thermoplastic technique
Hollow glass Hollow technique
Brushed glass Brushed technique
Hot-end operation Blowing technique
Cold-end operation Grinding and engraving technique
Hot-end operation Blowing technique
Cold-end operation Grinding and engraving technique