Paintings, Prints & Drawings — 1810-1830
Glassblower
This is probably the earliest British painting of a glassblower. A Whitefriars glassblower is seated on a glassblower's 'chair' shaping the foot of a wine glass with tongs. By his side are an assortment of callipers and a box filled with glass products, including two ring decanters which may date from the 1820s. Due to the intense heat in the glass factory, he is wearing only a shirt and knee breeches. On his right wrist is a leather cuff to protect him from broken or hot glass.
Whitefriars glassworks, which had been in operation since around 1700, was bought by the Powell family in 1834. It closed down in 1980.
- Category:
- Paintings, Prints & Drawings
- Object ID:
- 80.547/1007
- Object name:
- Glassblower
- Object type:
- Artist/Maker:
- British School, 19th century, British School
- Related people:
- Related events:
- Related places:
- Production date:
- 1810-1830
- Material:
oil, canvas
- Measurements/duration:
- H 542 mm, W 432 mm (unframed), H 650 mm, W 545 mm (framed), H 650 mm, W 550 mm, D 50 mm (overall)
- Part of:
- —
- On display:
- —
- Record quality:
- 100%
- Part of this object:
- —
- Owner Status & Credit:
Permanent collection
- Copyright holder:
digital image © London Museum
- Image credit:
- —
- Creative commons usage:
- —
- License this image:
To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.