Glass mirrors - a story started in Romania

In the period 7 July - 3 August will take place at Sinaia exhibition of glass mirrorsMirrors are made of the artist Cristian Florin Anghelescu. I have to admit that this news intrigued me and made me curious at the same time. Initially I thought it was a pleonastic expression - isn't the mirror all glass? So I wanted to find out what it was all about and what I discovered far exceeded expectations. It's a combination of art, beauty, passion, Tiffany, stained glass, stained glass, mirrors, Art Nouveau, wooden frames that complete and complete the work, about which I must tell you more.

What are glass mirrors.

From the outset I must tell you that this is a unique product in Europe. Cristian Florin Anghelescu is the one who first thought of putting together the mirror, the stained glass and the frame. It all started from the desire to embellish with glass, colour and light the environment that we like to call "home.".

Glass mirrors go beyond being a useful object into the realm of art. The mirror, the stained glass and the wooden frame form a whole that aims to bring light, colour and elegance into the home of lovers of beauty.

Originally the stained glass window was conceived as a passageway between mirror and wooden frame. Gradually the strict frame was replaced by colourful floral designs that discreetly enter the mirror without altering its original purpose. The mirror remains an object of utility while at the same time becoming an object of art.

In the preview you can see part of it on the websiteshttps://www.holz-art.ro/or more onhttps://www.casuta-cu-vitralii.com/oglinzi/,with the caveat that photographs will never capture the dynamism of the mirror.

Start

It all started almost 12 years ago when Cristian, an engineer by trade and currently working in a totally different field, thought of embellishing his house with stained glass windows on the front door. He wanted to do it himself and started researching.

He discovered a fascinating world that totally captivated him. After studying several ways of making stained glass, he stopped at Tiffany. It was Louis Comfort Tiffany (1878-1933) who used mass-coloured glass and patented the use of copper foil in the assembly process. He began making stained glass using this method, painstakingly sanding each piece of stained glass and assembling it according to increasingly elaborate designs.

Now this passion has become his profession and he proudly calls himself a "luxury glazier". The name also hides a subtle irony about the fact that there is no such thing as a stained glass maker. It's a discipline you don't study at any art, architecture or interior design college. But it's a fact he hopes to change over time.

Mirror release

More than 100 years ago, the mirror was the pride of palaces and houses. It was treated with honour and adorned, it gave charm to salons, it reflected balls or symphonic meetings.

Over time, however, it lost its frame and decorations, becoming only a useful object. It was meant to reflect the person or enhance the space, nothing more. The mirror recedes into the bathroom, wedged into the wall in four corners, or ends up in the bedroom, double-taped to the closet door.

With the glass mirrors Cristian, together with his friend and partner Mircea Ursu from Holzart, they started the action to "amnesty" the mirror and return it to its former location. The mirror regains its role as a piece of furniture with wooden frames chosen and carefully crafted in the workshops of Holzart.

Adding stained glass turns the mirror into an art object. It is the Art Nouveau trend that inspired the collection, hence the name Glass Nouveauas it was first presented to the public. This is the period when that industrially produced beauty emerged to be accessible to as many people as possible. Cristian believes it is time, after so many minimalist and decadent periods, for beauty and elegance to make a comeback.

The wood branch, that which perfects

Just like the painting, the glass mirror needs a frame to finish it off, and this is done with the frame. Frames are the support that provides protection and enhances the visual appeal of the paintings, mirrors and photographs they frame. A well-chosen frame will not only set the mirror apart from the rest of the space, but will also complement it, drawing special attention to it.

The choice of branches is made in such a way that they match the work chromatically and aesthetically. This is where the Holzart-Casuța relationship with Vitralii shows its respect for the product and for the customer: old and refurbished or new frames will all make the wood-glass-glass relationship result in a piece of furniture that you will want "at home".

This mirror-glass-wood frame combination is the top of the range in the field. Glass mirrors are pieces of art, certified by the exhibitions they have been part of, pieces of furniture due to their functionality and aesthetics, and Tiffany stained glass at the same time.

Sinaia Exhibition

The exhibition of stained glass mirrors that will take place in the coming period in Sinaia is not the first edition. The first one was in April 2017 and was held at Museum of the Dacian and Roman Civilization in Deva. It was when, a little over 2 years after he discovered the glass mirror, Cristian Florin Anghelescu received recognition as an artist in the field. The exhibition was highly appreciated, both by artists and visitors. It was also confirmed that this is the first and only exhibition of its kind in Europe.

Also in 2017, in August, the exhibition was hosted by Bethlen Salon at Corvin Castle, Hunedoara. It was another moment of recognition, as the museum's visitors, who were very numerous at the time, were delighted by the elegance of the mirrors and the play of light with the coloured glass.

The Sinaia The exhibition will take place both at Casinoand at Carmen Silva Cultural Centreduring the7 July - 3 August. They are elegant spaces very suitable for what the glass mirror represents. You are welcome in both places to delight your eyes and soul with light, colour, elegance and good taste.