About this event
A lecture not only on glass restoration, but also on the history, craftsmanship, and skill of the Blaschka brothers
Glass restoration is a unique field at the intersection of craftsmanship, fine art, history, and natural sciences. For a conservator, every damaged glass object presents a specific problem – glass is fragile, sensitive to mechanical stress, and its repair has clearly defined limits.
Eva Rydlová, who has been working as a private glass conservator since 1992, will talk about what the work of a glass conservator entails. In her practice, she deals with items from museum collections ranging from the 16th century to the present day and has long been dedicated to the restoration of glass sculptures.
Eva Rydlová also studies and restores the glass models of plants by Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka. Their extraordinarily realistic glass flowers were created at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and still amaze today through their combination of scientific precision, artistic talent, and exceptional glassmaking craftsmanship. For example, the extensive collection at the Harvard Museum contains approximately 4,300 models representing 780 plant species.
Eva Rydlová also restored their glass model of a musky octopus from the collections of the National Museum in Prague.
The lecture will offer a glimpse into the restoration workshop and illustrate how decisions are made about what can be saved, what must be supplemented, and where the conservator must respect the irreplaceable trace of time. Using examples of specific objects and the Blaschka glass flowers, she will present the demanding nature of work that requires not only knowledge of glass and its technologies, but also patience, precision, and a sense for the historical value of the restored work.
