Imre Jakabffy (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 8. (Budapest, 1984)

VARGA, Vera: Art Nouveau art glasses

4. Vase, Daum Frères, c. 1900. Mould-blown, three layered glass, decorated with engravind and acid-etching. Ht. 12,5 cm. come to the conclusion, that the problem of creating art glass, with its own world and sometimes message is not only the problem of Gallé, but is the problem of art glass, as such. These glass pieces, as independent works of art, were considered by their designers equal to the products of any kind of the ,,grands arts". That interpretation of glass was stressed by the signing of glass objects, which — after Gallé's initiative actions — first spread by the end of the 1880-ies all over France and then all over the world.

11 The signatures of Gallé, especially in the case of individual pieces and glasses, made only in small series, are themselves parts of the representation and decoration of the glass, forming an adequate ornament. (That is why the attempts at dating Gallé's works, basing on signatures are always incorrect.) That feature of Gallé's glass works, e. g. the fitting of the signature in the decoration had not become widespread, the signatures of other glassmakers of the age are the same, they depend on the time of production or on the applied technics.

4 As we have seen it in the case of Gallé's personage, the glassmaking of Art Nouveau is very closely connected to individual designers, who were conscious and manysided artists. Gallé, himself designed ceramics, furniture, besides glass, realizing his artistical conceptions as consequently as in the case of glass. .René Lalique designed not only jewelry, but sculptures, coins, leather decorations and bookbinding, as well. Some designers, as Louis Comfort Tiffany, designed complete intérieurs and that urged them to specialize to design above all decorative glass objects. Sometimes artists of „grands arts" design complete intérieurs, series and sets of certain objects.

5 Having in mind that facts, it is absolutely clear, that the conscious, manysided designer demands central role in the production, he may also change the style of the products, manufactured in a factory or in a bigger workshop. The determining quality of Gallé's and Tiffany's individuality is very well-known, but a less talented artist, e. g. Camille Tutré de Varreux was also able to change the production of the Pantin factory; since the beginning of his activity as artistic director the factory began to produce double or three layered cameo glasses, decorated with animal representations, floreal and landscape patterns. Most of the Art Nouveau glasmakers had to face the dilemma of