Kick'em In The Ghoulies

 In the world of Art and High Fashion, an ancient tradition is becoming a new vogue. Originally unknown outside of Asia, Liuli crystal glass artwork and jewelry is seeing a surge in popularity not only in Asia, but also Europe and North America. While “Liuli or ”琉璃” is literally the ancient Chinese word for Glass, it is used in modern times to refer to multi-hued crystal glass created by hand using an ancient glass casting technique. This method of glass styling closely resembles the long popular French form of glass shaping known as “pate-de-verre” that literally translates to “glass paste”.

 
The creation of Chinese Liuli Jewelry is different from the processes for most modern day glass. For tableware or jewelry, glass blowing is favored since one re-useable mold can be employed. Liuli creation uses a type of kiln casting method sometimes referred to as a “lost-wax” technique that uses finely powdered glass mixed with a binding substance, colorants, and lead. Depending on the mold used, solid or semi-hollow shapes are achievable.

Like other types of crystal glass, Liuli normally possess high lead content that gives Liuli its characteristic weight, shine, and sound when clinked together.

This method of glass creation is notoriously difficult due to a number of factors including the instability of the molds used and the high firing temperatures needed to meld the glass paste into solid form. The method each artisan and studio uses differs slightly, but most require a total of 10-16 steps to complete a single piece

 
Archaeological evidence suggests that Liuli was being made and used some 2500-1500 years ago, most likely around the Tang Dynasty era. In its earliest form, Liuli may have served as decorative tiles used in the construction of beautifully designed roofs for nobles and the wealthy commonly seen in ancient Chinese architecture. Eventually, Liuli was likely incorporated into stand alone artwork pieces and further modified into wearable form. It’s not surprising that an art form like Liuli could evolve into so many areas during this period, as the Tang Dynasty was an era that saw a proliferation of art and culture with numerous art forms reaching their apex.

Other notable uses involving similar types of glass casting have been observed in places such as ancient Egypt and the Middle East.

Despite the beautiful designs achievable using this method, the actual process is arduous and infamously difficult, leading ultimately to its abandonment as more efficient methods of glass creation were discovered, such as the glass blowing used by the Romans.

 
In European cultures, popularity for this style of glass casting followed the French revival of this art form in the 19th century. In Asia, this style saw continued use by artisans up to modern times; however, turmoil due to multiple conflicts and foreign invasions during the last few centuries disrupted not only glass art creation but most art and cultural pursuits in general. Resurgence of widespread Liuli creation began as relative economic and political stability returned to the region in the latter half of the 20th century. Though creation of Liuli was being practiced by artisans at this time, their relative obscurity and sparse numbers kept demand for this style at a minimum.