Harvey Littleton: Technique is Dear
Artist: Erwin Eisch (German, 1927 - 2022)
Date: 2004 (design of mold about 1976)
Dimensions:
H: 17 ½ in. (44.4 cm); W (Head, frontal): 8 5/8 in. (21.9 cm); W (Profile, max): 12 3/8 in. (31.4 cm)
Medium: Colorless glass; mold-blown, applied, blown, cut, engraved, ground, painted with unfired polychrome enamels and gold leaf.
Place of Origin: Glashütte Valentin Eisch, Frauenau, Germany
Classification: Glass
Credit Line: Gift of the artist
Object number: 2008.125
DescriptionThe hollow sculpture is blown of colorless glass in a two-part mold forming the head, neck, and square base of the portrait head. The mold seam remains visible as a relief line separating the front and back of the head. Once the molded glass shape is removed from the form, a large blob of molten glass is added to the area of the mouth and quickly blown out to a bubble. Once cooled, the head's square base rim is ground flat and the mouth bubble engraved with the words in capital letters 'Technique is dear" surrounded by straight lines forming a rectangle resembling a plaque. The head and neck of the sculpture is finally painted overall with noticeable brush strokes in dark blue and brown enamel paint. The inscription and framing line are gilded with gold leaf, leaving some of the red sizing visible beneath.
Not on view
In Collection(s)