Jean-Claude Chapelotte is a contemporary glass art specialist. He tells us about the little-known history of contemporary master glassmakers.
 
Why is this collection exceptional ?
This unique collection is a good representative of the 1990 and 2000 glass artwork. To be more precise, it was assembled between 1991 and 2008, and focuses mainly on the three Prague schools and great, world-renowned artists, like Stanislas Libensky and Jaroslava Brychtova, Vaclav Ziegler or Vladimir Kopecky, together with some of their students and also Jane Bruce from the USA or the French artist Antoine Leperlier.

This art was born in Europe and has become very popular in the USA.
Most of the glass industry of the Czech Republic was destroyed during World War Two. The great glassmakers who started working in the 1950s went to the USA, where glass art has become a central part of contemporary art. This is made obvious by the fact that there are whole sections dedicated to glass art in 14 museums, among which the Metropolitan Museum.
From a privat collection, masterpieces by
 
Libensky et Brychtova Ivan Mares
Vaclav Cigler Frantisek Vizner
Jaromir Rybak Richard Craig Meitner
Antoine Leperlier Anja Isphording
 
An art in itself
I believe that in Europe, and more particularly in France, glass art is still considered more as a form of craftmanship than of contemporary art work, when in fact it is a perfect combination of both, and is an art in its own right, just like sculpture and painting.
On the one hand, glass art does require skilled craftmasnship: Libensky sometimes took 6 months to produce one single piece, as he made several drafts, experimented with colors, etc…And some pieces took up to two months to dry. He really had an amazing energy!
On the other hand, glassmakers, just like their fellow artists, evolved over the years and moved from figurative art to abstraction through different paths of conceptual research.
 
What future for contemporary glass art ?
Today contemporary glass art is fully recognized by institutions, museums and collectors, as evidenced by this impressive private collection.
Auction sales entirely dedicated to contemporary glass art have determined precise rankings for these artists, which is useful when you want to take part in this booming market.

Audhuy's
A MODERN AND EFFICIENT APPROACH TO THE ART MARKET
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Objects are put up for auction in the most suitable sale in terms of specialty or location, and are displayed in specific advertisements sent to a vast network of collectors.

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