Mask
c. 1890 - 1895 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This mask was made when pâte de verre (glass paste) was a new technique. César Isidore Henry Cros (1840-1907) first used moulded powdered coloured glass when he was trying to make small-scale coloured sculptures like those of Ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt. He was fascinated by the ancient world, spoke both Greek and Latin, and used images, such as this classical-style face, in many of his works.
Cros produced his first pâte de verre in workshops at home. In 1891 he was offered a spare kiln at the Sèvres National Manufactory, where this mask was probably made. Cros was a very private man who kept his techniques a closely guarded secret. He nevertheless influenced a generation of glass makers who worked with pâte de verre and other forms of glass paste.
Cros produced his first pâte de verre in workshops at home. In 1891 he was offered a spare kiln at the Sèvres National Manufactory, where this mask was probably made. Cros was a very private man who kept his techniques a closely guarded secret. He nevertheless influenced a generation of glass makers who worked with pâte de verre and other forms of glass paste.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Pâte-de-verre (glass paste), enamels |
| Brief description | Pâte-de-verre mask, by Henry Cros, Sèvres, c. 1890-1895 |
| Physical description | Henry Cros was much influenced by the ancient world and used images, such as this classical-style face, in many of his works. In an attempt to make coloured sculptures and reliefs like the ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians, he developed an entirely new technique of moulding coloured glass pastes called pâte-de-verre. This object is made in a mould using the pâte-de-verre technique, with coloured enamels. |
| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'Cros' (Makers's mark painted (possibly in enamel)) |
| Gallery label |
|
| Credit line | Given by Victor Arwas |
| Summary | This mask was made when pâte de verre (glass paste) was a new technique. César Isidore Henry Cros (1840-1907) first used moulded powdered coloured glass when he was trying to make small-scale coloured sculptures like those of Ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt. He was fascinated by the ancient world, spoke both Greek and Latin, and used images, such as this classical-style face, in many of his works. Cros produced his first pâte de verre in workshops at home. In 1891 he was offered a spare kiln at the Sèvres National Manufactory, where this mask was probably made. Cros was a very private man who kept his techniques a closely guarded secret. He nevertheless influenced a generation of glass makers who worked with pâte de verre and other forms of glass paste. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Other number | 9516 - Glass gallery number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.56-1992 |
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| Record created | December 13, 1997 |
| Record URL |
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