Glassblowing is the process of introducing air into a mass of viscous glass by blowing through a blowpipe -- a long metal tube -- in order to obtain a hollow form. This action can be performed free hand in open air, or in a mold allowing for the realization of an easily reproducible piece of precise dimensions. The blowing is done in several steps. First the glassblower dips the end of the blowpipe into a crucible to collect a mass of molten glass, a process called gathering; then she or he rolls the gather on the marver in order to establish its center. After the marvering the glassblower introduces an air bubble into the glass by blowing through the other end of the blowpipe, thereby creating a post. The blowing action is repeated after successive reheats to form and develop the parison, that is to say the final volume of hollow glass required to create the piece. Free hand blowing is done by adjusting the position of the pipe in space and maintaining a movement of constant and even rotation. Along with the blowing, the shaping of the hot glass requires other motions and various tools in addition to the blowpipes (tubes of steel fitted with cylindrical or conical mouth pieces, approximately 1.4 meters long). Other tools include punty irons and gathering irons -- steel rods used to hold the glass; blocks -- hollowed out blocks of wood used to center and evenly distribute the glass; jacks -- for the opening and shaping of the form; shears -- for trimming; and the marver (a steel plate, sometimes heated) -- for rolling the parison.

A truly revolutionary approach to glassmaking, glassblowing is born between 75 and 50 BCE in the Middle East. It evolves from the more ancient techniques of pouring and molding, and the method of blowing glass spreads quickly throughout the Roman world, around the Mediterranean, and into the whole of Europe; the new process is based on the invention of the blowpipe which facilitates considerably the execution of turned pieces. Roman glassblowers brilliantly developed this new technique laying the foundation for the future of the glass arts. Heirs to the savoir faire of Antiquity, the Venetian glassmakers of the Renaissance raised the art of glassblowing to new heights. The long history of glassmaking is inseparable from the noble and difficult art of glassblowing, which requires quickness, skill and precision. BLOWING IN A MOLD Blowing can be done in molds in order to create clearly defined shapes and ornamentation. Depending on the desired effect, the blowpipe can turn or remain stationary. Blowing while the pipe is turning is well suited to the fashioning of round shapes, whereas blowing through a stationary pipe is better suited to angular shapes and ornamentation. Molds can be made from various materials: traditional wood molds, molds in metal, aluminum, bronze, (cast iron or steel for industrial purposes), molds in graphite, molds in plaster mixed with silica. According to their material, the molds are used wet and fitted with holes to allow for the escape of vapors. The mold blowing technique was invented and developed by the Romans who in this way were able to execute flasks of inventive ornamentation featuring floral and geometric designs, or motifs inspired by the human face. INDUSTRIAL MOLD BLOWING The traditional practice of blowing through the mouth is sometimes replaced in manufacturing by compressed air, which shapes the parison in a hinged mold of semi-steel. This method is particularly appropriate for the creation of containers such as flasks and bottles. In the 1920’s and 30’s the glass artist René Lalique lent prestige to this industrial process with the great artistic quality of his creations.

In the 1960’s and 70’s, which saw the birth and blossoming in the U.S. and Europe of the Studio Glass movement, the ancestral art of glassblowing enjoyed a breath of fresh air with a return of craftsmanship and a new curiosity for traditional techniques lost in industrial production. Today American glass artists such as Dale Chihuly have actually become glassblowing stars working with a whole team of assistants to produce monumental pieces which are colorful and dynamic, imaginative and playful, like his fountain “ Saffron and Golden Tower” (2000). It would be impossible to list all the great glass artists of today, but one who must not be overlooked for his knowledge, his virtuosity and his generosity in the sharing of the Venetian repertoire is Lino Tagliapietra.

Glassblowing is part of the basic language of glass and it would be foolish to try to count all the glassmakers who have practiced it, or even to arbitrarily name a few, in the same way that in today’s world that glorifies the status of the artist/artisan, we will never know all the anonymous glassblowers who created pure masterpieces in ancient Rome and all throughout the history of glassmaking in Venice, Bohemia and around the world.

DE MIRBECK Xavier, “Techniques du Verre”, Dessain et Tolra, Paris, 1992 - - - - - - - - - - - - TAIT Hugh, TATTON-BROWN Veronica, “Five Thousand Years of Glass”, British Museum Press, Londres 1991 - - - - - - - - - - - - "La verrerie Artisanale" par Fynn Lyngaard