RESTORATION • CONSERVATION • REPRODUCTION
LADY WITH FAN, Chinese, c. 1800, 10" x 7.5"
Reverse painting on glass originated in Italy during the 13th century. It spread through Europe and Asia, and was especially wide-spread in the early 19th century. At the same time, reverse glass painting in America was popularized with the development of the banjo clock and architectural mirror. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, reverse glass painting languished in the wake of inexpensive and mass-produced transfer prints.
This is an example of painting after restoration. Restoration includes cleaning, repair of broken glass, re-adhesion of paint surface, inpainting loss, and remounting.