The exhibition in Plzeň brings closer the Art Nouveau glass of the famous glassworks from Šumava

Plzeň - The famous production of the glassworks in Klášterský Mlýn near Rejštejn, previously one of the most significant in Bohemia, is showcased in a new exhibition by the West Bohemian Museum in Plzeň. It was created on the occasion of the 175th anniversary of the founding of this Šumava glassworks, celebrated under the name Johann Lötz Witwe. Until February 5, it will bring visitors closer to the Art Nouveau production from around 1900, with which the company achieved the greatest success in its history and conquered the world. This was stated today by curator Jan Mergl.
    "This glassworks became famous all over the world, being unrivaled in the field of artistic and craft glass processing by furnace methods and decoration, meaning directly at the glass furnace. It was established in 1836, at a time when Czech glassmaking began to develop very rapidly, marking the Biedermeier period, which is one of the most famous periods in the history of Czech glassmaking," he stated.
    Art Nouveau glass from Klášterský Mlýn holds a prestigious place in the collections of all significant world museums. In Plzeň, visitors will see vases and bowls, which were selected as gifts to the collections of leading Czech museums in Liberec, České Budějovice, Klatovy, and Plzeň by the then owner of the company, Maxmilián knight Spaun, in the early 20th century.
    "Under Maxmilián Spaun", who acquired the glassworks in 1879 and was a capable businessman, the products gained renown. Spaun meticulously monitored developments in the field of artistic and craft glass processing and drew inspiration from America, where the so-called iridescent glass was being produced at that time. This glass has a thin layer of metal on its surface, which creates pearlescent effects when light is refracted. Visitors will thus see furnace-formed and decorated iridescent glass of top artistic-craftsmanship level, including vases from a collection designed for the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900, which was awarded the highest of honors, Grand Prix.
    The exhibition also includes vases that conclude the Art Nouveau period, which were purchased for its collections by the Museum of Applied Arts in Prague in 1911. These are etched glasses designed by the company's designer Adolf Beckert and vases based on designs by the famous Viennese architect and designer Josef Hoffmann.
    The boom of iridescent glass lasted in the Šumava glassworks until 1903. After Spaun's death, the management of the company was taken over by his son, but by 1911 the glassworks went bankrupt. Despite various difficulties, it continued to operate, but in 1945 it was nationalized, glassmakers left, and operations partially continued until 1947, when the furnaces went out. In 1951, it was removed from the business register.
    The exhibition is accompanied by text and image information that traces the artistic and technological development of the Klášterský Mlýn glass from 1885 to 1915.