Bohemian glass

Bohemian glass

Bohemian glass goblet, relief cut and decorated with intaglio-engraved Baroque flowers, from the …

(credit: Museum of Decorative Arts, Prague)

Decorative glass made in Bohemia from the 13th century. In the early 17th century, Caspar Lehmann, gem cutter to Rudolf II in Prague, perfected the technique of gem engraving on glass. By 1700, a heavy, high-lustre, richly ornamented potash-lime glass (Bohemian crystal) had become popular. In the late 18th century, black glass with chinoiserie designs was introduced. Ruby glass and an opaque glass with white overlay, both carved and enameled, were introduced in the 19th century.