Verre Églomisé

Verre églomisé is a technique of applying metal leaf to the reverse face of glass, so the leaf is viewed through the glass itself rather than from the front. The name comes from Jean-Baptiste Glomy, an 18th-century Parisian frame-maker who popularised the practice, though reverse-glass gilding appears in medieval and Renaissance work considerably earlier. The result is a surface where the leaf appears to sit within the glass — at a depth that flat gilding on a solid surface cannot replicate.

Work is applied to the back of the glass panel. Leaf types include 24-carat gold in white, yellow and champagne tones, silver, platinum, copper, aluminium and bronze. Base metals such as copper and Dutch metal tarnish over time, producing an aged, cloud-like reflective character. The specific leaf type and combination are selected at the commission stage relative to the intended light conditions and the surrounding palette.

The process involves building layered artwork on glass in multiple stages. Artists work on the reverse side of prepared glass panels, applying highlights first and backgrounds last. Metal leaf is applied in varying quantities, from full sheets for bold gilding to tiny amounts providing highlights for subsequent painted layers.

A wide variety of reflective metal leaf options exist: platinum, 24-carat gold (white, true gold, or champagne-toned), real silver, copper, and base metals like Dutch metal. Variegated, copper, and Dutch metal leaves tarnish over time, producing an aged, textured mirrored effect.

Following gilding, artists apply reverse-painted light-fast pigments to the glass underside using Japan paints and powders. Additional metal leaf provides subtle lowlights and depth. Artwork is predominantly free-hand, with traditional printing techniques and decoupage employed as projects require.