Czech glass as art and a valuable commodity

Statues in American movies

Glass statues by Jiří Pačinek played one of the leading roles in the American black comedy Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery starring Daniel Craig and Edward Norton, while a huge spatial sculpture by Lasvit is admired by people from America to Australia, and Preciosa has a for 300-year tradition of making beautiful crystal chandeliers, the kind coveted by the kings of France back in the day.


 
The first big event if you’re a fan of this amazing craft is the sales exhibition of Czech costume jewellery and glass companies. It is on until 11 August 2024 in the Eurocentre in Jablonec nad Nisou, a town in North Bohemia surrounded by picturesque countryside. While in this town you might well see a huge cut-glass crystal. It's an extension of the Museum of Glass and Jewellery.


 
The biggest glass event, which attracts people from far and wide, is Crystal Valley Week 2024. This great summer show of glass, jewellery and bijouterie from all over the Crystal Valley, home to Czechia’s leading glassmaking companies, will light up Liberec from 26 to 31 August 2024. Visitors can look forward to dozens of fascinating exhibitions, outdoor installations, demonstrations of glass and jewellery crafting, fashion shows, a crystal market, and performances by master glassmakers as well as talented students. The nearby birthplace of Ferdinand Porsche will host an exhibition dedicated to legends of motorsport.

Glass garden

During the last week of August, all the major glassmaking brands will open their smelters, glassworks and showrooms, including PAČINEK GLASS in Kunratice u Cvikova, which is surrounded by an amazing glass garden and has a stunning installation rising in the adjacent Glass Temple, something you really shouldn’t miss.


 
This year, one major glass brand from Czechia celebrates 300 years of making crystal chandeliers: Preciosa, whose unbroken glassmaking tradition in the Crystal Valley in the Liberec Region began back in 1548. Czech chandeliers from Preciosa have adorned prestigious places such as the royal palaces at Versailles and Fontainebleau, not to mention the residences of the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire and Russian tsars. Hundreds of years later, in December 2023, the art of Czechia’s glassmakers was recognised when it was listed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.


 
Another interesting sight, this time on the opposite side of the country, down in Czechia’s southern region, is a unique all-glass altar over 3 metres high and weighing 5 tonnes, in the Church of St. Gunther in Dobrá Voda near Hartmanice. The colour of the glass was not chosen by chance - the dark yellow to green represents the colour of the rivers of Sumava and that of the region’s streams during the spring thaw. It is the only church in the world that is dedicated to St. Gunther. Sumava used to have a strong glassmaking tradition, and that continues to this day in the Annín glassworks.

Futuristic sculptures

Prague and the surrounding area also offer several opportunities to go and see some fine glassmakers and their art. The workshop of Martin Janecký, probably the biggest name on the glassmaking scene today, is located in the garden of the Order of the Knights of Malta in Kampa in the centre of Prague. Janecký uses a very unusual method to create his works, shaping the sculptures from inside a hot glass flask. Seeing this done with your own eyes is one of life's great experiences.


 
Another progressive glassmaker is František Jungvirt, whose work is on display in the Four Seasons luxury hotel in Prague, as well as in showrooms in Europe and around the world. His personal boutique can be found in the PARVI Cibulka residential complex in Prague. Jungvirt is also the artistic director of the Klimchi brand. That is famous not only for its hobnail glass, sometimes dubbed pineapple, which is popular in the UK and will especially be familiar to fans of the global blockbuster Barbie.

A cut-glass tradition in the spa

One traditional brand that does not shy away from new trends is Rückl, a glassworks famous for its cut crystal. It is located in the village of Nižbor near Beroun, less than an hour from the centre of Prague. They’re planning a St. Wenceslas event in the village on 28 September 2024. Visitors will have the opportunity to blow their own pint glass or, for example, cut the motif of the Czech royal crown onto a glass. Entrance to the outdoor areas is free of charge.
 
And finally, a tip for lovers of beauty, relaxation and spas. The world-famous Moser sends its beautiful work around the world from Karlovy Vary in West Bohemia. Like Moser, the other brands and artists mentioned above will also be appearing at the upcoming festival Designblok 2024.