Glass of the Alchemists:
Lead Crystal–Gold Ruby, 1650–1750 June 27, 2008 – January 4, 2009
Corning Museum of Glass, New York
In their well-known mystical attempts to make gold, alchemists also provided the foundation for modern chemistry and material sciences. This exhibition explores Northern European glass of the Baroque period and examines the technical advances in glassmaking made by alchemists during that time. Their work provided essential knowledge about the purification of the raw materials used to make glass objects, and advanced the technology and construction of glassmaking furnaces. With these improvements, alchemy-inspired glassmakers were able to produce colorless crystal glass which came extremely close to the appearance of natural rock crystal, as well as stunning gold ruby glass vessels which look as if they were made from ruby stones.
There is a 358-page catalogue by Dedo von Kerssenbrock-Krosigk and others featuring essays by science and glass historians, as well as 270 images, including 35 gold-ruby pieces that are on display in the exhibition.
