Stories behind the glass

The exhibition, Stories Behind the Glass, at the Ethnographic Museum will display reverse glass paintings from the collections of the Ethnographic Department of the National Museum. This is one of the most common types of folk art appearing in the interiors of the common people in the 19th century. The exhibition offers a glimpse into the restoration workshop, where one can learn about the equipment, tools and the individual steps of the complex restoration procedure. It will also demonstrate the production specifics of reverse glass paintings and the most common types of damage that can be incurred. The work of the restorers is exemplified, among other things, by comparing the condition of the paintings before and after professional intervention. The exhibition also features a number of interactive elements, usually referring directly to practice of restoration.

The exhibition is also aimed at children, who may try their hand at retouching reverse glass paintings using colored paper or putting together glass puzzles.