A first encounter with reverse paintings on glass


The first time I discovered reverse paintings on glass I was working in a London art gallery during the late 1970's. Prior to this I had no idea what a reverse painting actually was, although I've always been fascinated by beautiful leadlight (stained glass) windows in ancient churches and also leadlight from both the Art Nouveau and Art Deco eras.

On first seeing a reverse painting on glass I immediately noticed the depth that the glass gave to the subject that had been painted, the smooth surface of the glass, and the effect that light created in relation to both the glass and the artwork itself.

I also noticed the intricacy of the subject that had been painted (in this case it was a farm scene including farm workers, a farm house, a pond with ducks, various other farm animals and a background of trees and hills). All these details had been meticulously applied to a very small glass rectangle that measured approximately 25 x 30 cms. I was captivated by what I saw.

I gradually began to learn more about reverse painting through handling the artworks themselves in preparation for exhibitions, or by hearing information about the artists or sometimes little bits of information about the glass painting techniques they used. This encounter with reverse painting occurred a long time prior to the existence of the internet as we know it today, and aquiring my knowledge about reverse painting occurred gradually without a thought in my mind (at that particular time) that I would one day embark on my own reverse painting adventure.

You can find more information by visiting the Reverse Painting FAQ or by visiting the links in the top right column of this page।