Be creative with Eva Rydlová

Glass restoration is a unique field at the crossroads of craftsmanship, fine art, history and the natural sciences. Every damaged glass object presents a specific challenge for the restorer – glass is fragile, sensitive to mechanical stress, and its repair has clearly defined limits.

Eva Rydlová, who has been working as a private glass restorer since 1992, will talk about the full scope of a glass restorer’s work. In her practice, she deals with objects from museum collections dating from the 16th century to the present day, and has also long specialised in the restoration of glass sculptures.

Eva Rydlová also specialises in the study and restoration of the glass plant models created by Leopold and Rudolf Blaschko. Their exceptionally realistic glass flowers were created at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and continue to amaze to this day with their combination of scientific precision, artistic talent and exceptional glassmaking craftsmanship. The extensive collection at the Harvard Museum, for example, comprises approximately 4,300 models representing 780 plant species.

Eva Rydlová has also restored their glass model of a musk octopus from the collections of the National Museum in Prague.

The lecture will offer a glimpse into the restoration workshop and explain how decisions are made about what can be saved, what needs to be replaced, and where the restorer must respect the irreplaceable traces of time. Using examples of specific objects and Blaschka’s glass flowers, she will illustrate the demanding nature of the work, which requires not only knowledge of glass and its technologies, but also patience, precision and an appreciation of the historical value of the work being restored.