Glass paintings turn plain sheets of glasses into marvelous pieces of art. Glass paintings are rare finesses and cherished legacies of the remarkable artworks of the past. Also coined as glass engravings, the paintings on glass overwhelmed with their refined beauty, mystical luminosity, enrichment of colors and meticulousness. Possibly an outcome of the Renaissance Movement in Italy, glass paintings became popular all over the world. They were transported to India at the turn of the eighteenth century. The Indian painters imbibed this new form of painting from the Chinese immigrants who settled in coastal India during this time. These paintings adored the interiors of the elites and royal families. India-crafts.com one of the most well known portals for arts and crafts in India has treasured this traditional form of art in the most impressive way. Learn about glass paintings and get amazed visualizing the collection of these paintings. Just spare a minute to click on the site and see how the magic unveils.

The state of Gujarat is said to be the precursor of Glass Painting in India. Later on the art flourished in the regions of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Rajasthan, Mysore, Andhra Pradesh, Mumbai, Hyderabad, West Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. The themes had regional diversifications. They were imbibed from the folklore, religious books and from the great Indian epics -The Ramayana and The Mahabharata. European themes can be viewed in some works. Pictures of Hindu gods and goddesses, their romantic pursuits, images from the mythological stories, natural sceneries, animal images and portraits of the kings and royal ladies were also used as the theme for the paintings.

The glass paintings were laid down on Belgium glasses imported from Belgium and England. The technique of painting was unique. Beautiful images were outlined on the opposite side of a glass. Bright colors were applied to paint the images. The colors were made to dry and permanently fix to the glass by the aid of proper heating techniques. Finally the paintings were embellished with semi-precious stones; gold and silver powders and glitters to create a luminous effect. The paintings dazzled in proper effect of lighting. A glorious painting of the bygone era, glass painting has retained its place in the modern households as exotic showpieces and wall decorations.