Reverse Glass Painting, also known as Hinterglasmalerei in German and verre églomisé in French, is an artistic technique in which paint is applied to the back side of a glass panel (Reverse). The finished image is then viewed from the front, through the glass itself.
Painting in reverse can be difficult and extra planning is required as the paint is applied in reversed layers: foreground elements, highlights, fine details, and any gold leaf or metallic accents are painted first. After these dry mid-tone colours and finally the background, which seals the composition.
The appeal for me of using this technique is it creates a luminous and glossy depth to colour while protecting the surface of the painting. I also use tools to scratch back in to the paint to provide textural marks which gives it a lino print quality.
The technique has ancient roots. As far back as the Byzantine Empire, it was used for sacral icons and religious art. By the Middle Ages, it appeared in Italy, influencing Renaissance glasswork in Venice, particularly on the island of Murano. From the 14th century onward, it spread across Europe, including France, England, and especially Germany. Used to create religious panels, portraits, and decorative objects, it became accessible folk art in the 18th century as glass grew cheaper.
Production declined sharply after the mid-1800s when inexpensive colour prints flooded the market, however, there was a short revival during the early 19th century when artists such as Wassily Kandinsky, embraced it for its vibrant, folk-inspired qualities.
The mark making I can achieve on glass and the colour intensity this technique provides continues to inspire me as much as the landscapes I paint.
