Kelkglas met een voorstelling van de heilige Hubertus knielend voor het hert before 1798

This glass, showing Saint Hubert kneeling before a stag, was made anonymously. Its story is told in the material itself. The glassblower shaped the vessel, blowing molten glass into a mold to give it the basic form, and then twisting the stem to catch the light. Then came the engraver, carefully abrading the surface to create the image. This subtractive process demanded patience and control. The engraver would have used a series of small, rotating copper wheels, fed with abrasive pastes, to slowly grind away the surface of the glass. Look closely, and you’ll see how the quality of light plays across the engraved portions of the glass. The image is not merely on the surface, but part of it. This careful work transformed a simple drinking vessel into a precious object, reflecting social values around craftsmanship and the skills needed to produce luxury goods.