The Glory Of French Glass

The glorious stained-glass windows adorning the great Gothic cathedrals of France witness how the ancient techniques involved in manufacturing coloured glass were rediscovered by French glassmakers. During the 17th century, the French also learned how to grind and polish glass to make panels for windows, a fundamental innovation for modern architecture. Meanwhile, typical glass objects included tiny enamelled figurines, alongside magnificent glassware created for the nobility by the glass master Bernard Perrot. But it was after the French Revolution that there was a true explosion of glassmaking in France which led to new techniques and styles.