Cut glass is a process of decorating cold glass by removal of material, and although it has much in common with the technique of glass engraving, it differs slightly in its implementation and decorative aims. Glass cutting consists of creating motifs of a linear, geometric or prismatic nature, as well as facets, bevels, etc., in a glass object by carving out material with a grind stone or an iron wheel. This is facilitated by the addition of abrasive sand which is moistened by a fine stream of water that flows steadily onto the surface of the wheel. Whereas a glass engraver would delicately chisel out a decor by placing the piece under the copper cutting wheel, a glass cutter holds the piece above the wheel while carefully exerting pressure to systematically cut into the glass’s body. Then, using a sandstone wheel, any ridges or high spots will be knocked down and the piece will be rendered smooth. Next, a wooden wheel is used in conjunction initially with a slurry of already used sand and water, followed by increasingly finer grit. The piece is now ready to be polished (that is to say rendered transparent), first with a wooden wheel and tin putty, and finally with a wheel of cork.

Glass cutting is an ancient practice already known in Antiquity, particularly in the Roman world. Great breakthroughs in this technique were made during the XVIIth century in Bohemia, aided by the development of a new glass composition high in lime and potash, which readily lent itself to this type of work -- work often associated with glass engraving and which celebrates the sumptuousness of Baroque glass masterworks. The invention of flint glass ( glass containing lead oxide) in XVIIIth century England further contributed to the advancement of glass cutting, noticeably enhancing its transparency and exceptional refringent qualities. Originally, the wheels were driven by foot pedals. The first wheels driven by a hydraulic motor appeared in France under the Empire, circa 1810, but did not become commonplace until the second half of the century. It should be noted that hand cut glass has struggled at times to compete with the mechanized cutting of large glassworks (note: the Englishman Gold from Birmingham registered a patent for a mechanized process in 1835) but the artistic merit of hand cut glass has always retained uncontested superiority over machine cut glass. The grand tradition of cut glass was refined and transcended in the fine work of the Czech school’s glassmakers during the 1980’s and 90’s, notably but not exclusively by the students of Vaclav Cigler.

One can cite the sculptures of Yann Zoritchak for whom this stage of work, followed by very meticulous polishing, has always been of fundamental importance. But also, the prismatic pieces of Marian Karel, Oldrich Pliva and Pavel Trnka...who focus on the play of light in their pure forms.

MATCHAM Jonathan, DREISER Peter, “The Techniques of Glass Engraving”, Batsford LTD, Londres, 1982 DE MIRBECK Xavier, “Technique du verre “, Dessain et Tolra, Paris,1992