Scarcity, Innovation, and Sustainability in Seventeenth-Century Glassmaking

Glassmaking requires intense heat and great amounts of fuel, which raises questions about the sustainability of this art and the impact it has on the environment. This project by Dr. Thijs Hagendijk demonstrates that the quest for sustainability is not just a modern burden, but that it has always been an inherent part of glassmaking practices. The study of glassmaking in seventeenth-century Europe will show how glassmakers dealt with their environment and how the scarcity of natural resources and new notions of sustainability stimulated technological innovation in this art.

ArtLab Member: Thijs Hagendijk