|
The Chairman and MD of Nazeing Glass Works, Mr. Stephen Pollock-Hill and myself (Lesley Pyke), at a private viewing of the Portland Vase, at the British Museum, London, for the purpose of studying this 2040 year old Masterpiece. What do you think of the earliest example of blown glass? It is so expertly cameo engraved I could not see how they had managed achieve such small perfect detail. I was almost speechless!
Photograph published with the kind permission of the British Museum. April 2007.
|
The Chairman and MD of Nazeing Glass Works, Mr. Stephen Pollock-Hill and myself, at a private viewing to study the Portland Vase, at the British Museum, April 2007. Photo published with the kind permission of the British Museum.
|
| |
Back to Parent Page:  Portland Vase Study by Lesley Pyke
|
|
I am a professional glass engraver, I have been in the business since 1983, after a myriad of fascinating commissions from a huge variety of customers, I am still challenged daily by my customers and when I have time I create my own pieces of art which I have permanently on exhibition for sale.
Please have a look at my website where I also have a selection of short videos of my engraving.
Lesley Pyke
Offices 1& 2 Halesworth Business Centre
Norwich Rd,
Halesworth, Suffolk IP198QJ UK
Phone: +441986874634
http:// www.lesleypyke.com
|
 Comments on This Gallery Page
|
33 B.C.???
Is when this vase was made??? That's amazing!!! the engraving work looks like a painting!!! Amazing!!!
Aloha!
» Posted by
BenBurton
on 4/28/2007 3:50:20 AM.
|
date
It may have even been as far back as 40BC, there is a good page about it on Wikipedia. Looking up close it is so smooth and shiny. Most likely to have been acid polished afterwards.
» Posted by
LesleyPyke
on 4/28/2007 4:05:26 AM.
|
That's truely a work of art!!!
Any way to get a more up close shot of just the vessel??? Maybe a couple sides so we can see all the details???
Aloha!!
» Posted by
BenBurton
on 4/28/2007 4:09:01 AM.
|
permission
would you believe I was allowed to take a great number of photographs including close detail,(for my own reference and study) but am not permitted to publish them. So sadly I cannot put them on the site. I will have to ask if I am permitted to send pictures to individuals. They are VERY strict! I was very lucky to get permission for this picture. I will see what I can do. Otherwise there are a couple of books. The one with good pictures is: The Portland Vase by Susan Walker. The story of this piece should be made into a film!
» Posted by
LesleyPyke
on 4/28/2007 4:15:26 AM.
|
ps
I forgot to mention, I also was permitted to to take a photo of my crystal chalice (see my gallery) with it side by side!!! Such a special photo for me, but that I was also denied permission to publish."The Museum cannot be seen to be endorsing or approving the work of independent artists or craftspeople, in particular if they are not represented in our collection." ....you can see their point.
» Posted by
LesleyPyke
on 4/28/2007 4:19:02 AM.
|
.
You lucky lass! I got within about 9" of it in the museum. I was getting some strange looks spending so much time looking at it. I imagine it looks that much more spectacular without the bullet broof glass around it. It truely is an amazing work of art.
» Posted by
BEGlass
on 4/28/2007 10:01:15 AM.
|
Jeez
"The Museum cannot be seen to be endorsing or approving the work of independent artists or craftspeople, in particular if they are not represented in our collection."
They must be charming the pants off of craftspeople left and right. You need to be in our museum to be in our museum.
So, I assume that you have something in their collection?
Nice that they let you in for a peek at the vase though.
» Posted by
RexTrimm
on 4/28/2007 2:27:55 PM.
|
wow!
thats amazing! talk about glass history..loving it
» Posted by
MarkLammi
on 4/29/2007 9:37:58 AM.
|
.....
Yep, I do feel very privileged. We were in fact in there for 45 minutes to an hour, loads of photos and endless questions and discussions and throwing theories about. (No one really knows who the figures are) I would not have been able to get decent photos through bullet proof glass so this was perfect. We both had to sign a visitors book (right of picture).
No my work is not included in the museum at all (they don't know me from a bar of soap!), the place does house the most incredible collection of relics from all over the world, all periods and I don't think you could possibly see it all in one day.
The most informative book (although not the best photographs) is by Robin Brooks "The Mystery of The Portland Vase". I am not quite half way through it yet, very heavy reading for me who never reads!
The large shop in the museum does have some modern versions of the vase in gawdy bright coloured overlayed and sandblasted VERY badly drawn depiction of the figures not even laid out correctly. I was quite shocked to say the least and they carried a hefty price tag too.
» Posted by
LesleyPyke
on 4/29/2007 12:44:40 PM.
|
It's a shame the Museum won't share....
I's unfortunate for people like me who may never get to visit this museum and see the piece itself. Had you not have posted it, I probaby would've never known this piece existed, and I would count that as a loss, to me at least if not to our community, for having a priceless artifact such as this hidden from most eyes...
Thank you for enlightening the otherwise ignorant (me :-) to such a beautiful piece of glass..
Mahalo and Aloha!
» Posted by
BenBurton
on 4/29/2007 9:25:38 PM.
|
chuffed
I am really pleased that I have brought something so beautiful to the attention of those who did not know about it. Email me privately those interested in the pictures.
» Posted by
LesleyPyke
on 4/30/2007 10:34:53 AM.
|
|
Would you like to post a comment on this gallery page?
|
|
|
Artist Portfolios
Artist Photos
Glass Art
Artist:
