Islamic Glass

Many art historians have overlooked the excellence of glass in Islamic art. There were thousands of glass makers who annonymously passed on their skills from generation to generation, they experimented with many different colours, techniques and shapes. They also created many intricate surface decorations on this beautiful material. London Glazing appreciate glass and its uses. Their work still exists in private and public collections all over the world which is a great tribute to the skill of these dedicated craftsmen.

The History.
Following the demise of the Roman Empire in 476, the political turbulance in the western Roman Empire had a real adverse affect on the regional economic stability, that contributed to a decline in the making of glass. The Byzantine Empire in the eastern Mediterranean, however continued to make their glass.With the rise of Islam, and the expansion of Muslim territories throughout the 7th century A.D., created the society that kept alive many of the successes that were lost in the west. London Glaziers are familiar with stained glass. Glass with mosaic designs, cast and mold blown items continued to be made, and beginning in the ninth century, a new decorative approach to glass was taken. The initial advance began as they found that glass could be coloured with metallic stain. This was the first type of item that we now call lustre ware, as this process gave it a unique sheen. In other words, stained glass. During the 10th and 11th centuries, the cast and cut routines carried out on glass attained an even higher level of achievements. The 12th to the 14th centuries, saw gilded and enameled vessels take on a never before seen brilliance. The artists working with this glass glass would create very imaginative and highly schematic scenes featuring animals, geometric patterns, and calligraphic script that they coloured in bright enamels. With the opening of trade and political alliances, these new ways of ornamenting glass that was innovated in the Islamic world found their way to the west, and thus gave european glassmaking a renewed lease of life.