“Red May” exhibition of art glass

“Red May” labor glass factory, which was honored with the Order of Red Banner of Labor, is one of the giants of the Russian and Soviet glass industry. The factory was founded in 1859 as a chemical factory. In 1873, its owners, the merchants of Bolotina, built the first potted glass furnace. And in 1882 and 1896, the new production of the factory, which was “completely wonderful in its variety and unexpected grace” (as the famous professor -“glass expert” of that time A. K. Krupsky evaluated it), was awarded a gold medal at the all-Russian art and industrial exhibitions in Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod: for a rich color scheme of shades, for thoroughness and cleanliness of processing.

The collection of the “Red May” labor glass factory, which was honored with the Order of Red Banner of Labor, preserves within its walls the wonderful works of talented original masters and artists – professionals, as well as the samples of mass production of the factory.

An entire galaxy of remarkable, talented, equally devoted to their favorite material (colored glass) artists is associated with the “Red May” labor glass factory. All the names of the artists, whose works are presented at the exhibition, are well-known. Each of them created the works according to their own creative taste, and they have their own exhibitions in the museum.

The artists’ works were presented in many countries of the world: Cuba, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Argentina, Japan and other countries. The works of the artists are kept in many museums of our country and are listed in the art directory.

At various times, honored artists of Russia worked at this labor glass factory: A. M. Silko, Y. V. Shevchenko, S. M. Beskinskaya, L. A. Kuchinskaya, L. I. Saveleva, M. M. and I. M. Marshumovs, E.U. Esikova, K. N. Litvin, The artists: S. A. Konoplev, A. I. Novikov, V. G. Frolov and others.

Most of the artists’ works are made of sulfide-zinc glass, which is rightfully called the “Russian miracle” for its inexhaustible richness of color. Extraordinary features of the sulfide glass contributed to the creation of the original, bright works. This material was developed by the factory in 1959. The sulfide-zinc glass was invented by the Leningrad technologists E. A. Ivanova and A. A. Kirtanam. The latter is a descendant of the “Red May” labor glass factory masters of art glass. This sulfide-zinc glass has become a distinctive feature of the “Red May” labor glass factory production and has endowed it with originality and artistic value.

Extensive experience and high level of personnel, combined with high production capacity allowed the “Red May” labor glass factory to fulfill a government task in 1944 – to weld unique, pure, four-layer ruby glass for the creation of the stars that crown the towers of the Moscow Kremlin.

The ruby glass for the Kremlin stars and a copy of the award order for the specialists, who took part in the fulfillment of the government task, can be seen in the exhibition of the museum.

The exhibition of the art glass presents amazing treasures produced by the work and talent of the workers and artists of the “Red May” labor glass factory.