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Marvelous Colors, Manifold Forms: Find the beauty in glass art

GCO TSINGHUA 2022-07-07

Editor’s Note

Since ancient times, glass art has played an important role in the development of and the cultural exchange between the Eastern and Western civilizations.


Starting at the beginning of 2022, Tsinghua University Art Museum has been holding a special exhibition, “Marvelous Colors, Manifold Forms: Cultural Exchanges in Glass Art among the Ancient East and West,” displaying glass artworks that show the power of glass art to bring people together in ancient times across cultures. 


It features a set of 325 ancient glass artworks from the Hirayama Ikuo Silk Road Gallery in Japan, and is being held with support from several Chinese cultural institutions.

 

Let’s take a look at some of the highlights from this special exhibition!




The exhibition is divided into four parts: Gestation and Birth, Communication and Integration, Blooming and Resplendence, the West and East. 

 

The first section shows the history of the development of glass art. It can be observed from the displayed items that the glass art of different civilizations in each period not only had its own uniqueness, but also presented striking similarities.

Part 1: Gestation and Birth
 

Glass is not the product of modern industry. Glass-like products “faience” appeared in Egypt as early as 4000 BC, which was mainly used for decoration.


At the same time, China's Western Zhou Dynasty also mastered the technology of making “faience”, and in the Han Dynasty, the Chinese created the color "Han blue" and produced many exquisite glass bead ornaments.


Necklace, northern Mesopotamia, 16th-13th century BC

Cast necklace, Mycenae, 14th-13th century BC

Eye pattern glass bead string during the late Spring and Autumn period, 6th-5th century BC

Dark green moire glass disk during the Warring States period, 475-221 BC


Part 2: Communication and Integration
 

During this period, mosaic technology appeared in Egypt. This kind of decoration made of broken glass is widely used on utensils. Inheriting the technology of early glass, mosaic glass in this period showed green characteristics.


In China, when it comes to handicrafts, jade gets mentioned. During the Warring States period, Chinese glass art imitated a large number of jade products that displayed pure turquoise. Such was the influence of the technique that the glass beads of the Han Dynasty would be mainly decorated in blue and green.


Mosaic plant pattern glass decorative board, Egypt during the Ptolemaic Dynasty-early Roman Empire, 1st century BC-1st century AD

Mosaic plant pattern glass decorative plate, Eastern Mediterranean during the Hellenistic period-early Roman Empire, 1st century BC-1st century AD


Blue string pattern glass during the Western Han Dynasty, 202 BC-AD 8

Inlaid glass plate decoration during the Western Han Dynasty, 202 BC-8 AD


Part 3: Blooming and Resplendence
 

The biggest change in this period was the development of glass blowing technology. As a result, a variety of gem-like golden glassware began to appear in the East and West. Such as western laminated glass, gold and silver glass, various blowing utensils from the Eastern Han and Jin dynasties to the Southern and Northern dynasties.


Grind decorative Cup, Eastern Mediterranean region during the early Roman Empire, 1st-2nd century AD

Ring, Eastern Mediterranean during the Ptolemaic Dynasty-Roman Empire, around 1st century AD

Glass bottle, Northern Wei Dynasty, 386-534

Glass bottle, Sui Dynasty, 541-604


Part 4: The West and East

 

With the maturity of eastern and western glass technology, the role of glass products is no longer limited to decoration, and tends to be more practical. That said, glass art continues to thrive in modern times with colorful characteristics.


Enamel glass sheet, Syria, the Islamic period, 13th-14th century AD

Round decorative shallow bowl, Iran, the Islamic period, 10th-11th century AD

Carved glass long neck bottle, the Liao Dynasty, 907-1125

Glass bottle, the Liao Dynasty, 907-1125



Pure blue, vibrant green, gorgeous gold, clear silver...Do you like such colorful glass artworks? Although the East and the West are far apart, the development of the Silk Road and the commercial exchanges that followed brought the glass art of the East and the West together, prompting the integration of civilizations.


If you want to explore more of such insightful exhibitions, Tsinghua University Art Museum awaits you! 



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Exhibition | Marvelous Colors, Manifold Forms: Find the beauty in glass art


Writers: Li Jingyi, Zhang Yijie

Editors: Sangeet Sangroula, Liu Shutian

Designer: Zeng Wenyu


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