Dalle de Verre: Innovation in Stained Glass

A critical resource examining the history, making, and conservation of dalle de verre.

Dalle de verre (French for “glass slab”), an innovative form of stained glass, was embraced in the 20th century for its suitability for modern, nonfigurative aesthetics. Manually chipped and set in cementitious or resinous matrices, dalle de verre engages with light to give an impression of ethereal luminosity.

Drawing on global examples, this volume presents the first comprehensive study of dalle de verre, situating the medium within the history of stained glass and modern architecture. It delves into the technical expertise of dalle de verre artists, providing a crucial resource for those interested in this glass-art practice and its conservation.

• Explores the period of peak experimentation that defined dalle de verre as a modern building material.
• Surveys dalle de verre installations in the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania.
• Analyzes the deterioration agents and material vulnerabilities specific to glass slabs set in a matrix of cement or resin.
• Contains a glossary of technical terms about glass and conservation, as well as an index listing the dalle de verre architects, designers, fabricators, installers, and sites featured in the book.

A first-of-its-kind study, this book is required reading for practitioners and stakeholders invested in the long-term conservation of this art form.

The free online edition of this open-access publication is available at www.getty.edu/publications/dalle-de-verre/ and features zoomable, high-resolution illustrations. Free PDF and EPUB editions are also available for download. This publication was created using Quire, a multiformat publishing tool from Getty.