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Frantisek Jungvirt Glass Studio
Glass artist, designer and painter František Jungvirt has been working with glass since 2014. In 2024, he founded his own studio (FRANTIŠEK JUNGVIRT STUDIO S.R.O.), where he creates art objects, installations and limited-edition glass pieces.
It all began with an idea
The works are created by glass artist, designer and painter MgA. František Jungvirt (*1996) who studied glass painting at the Secondary School of Applied Arts in Třeboň and then went on to
graduate from the Glass Studio at UMPRUM in Prague. In his practice, he often draws on the traditions of Czech glassmaking, which he reinterprets through a fresh, contemporary lens. With
each piece, he seeks to push the technical and visual boundaries of the medium. Jungvirt’s work is defined not only by a playful approach to form but also by his use of color and hand-painted
motifs. In addition to functional design, he creates art pieces, installations and limited-edition glass sets. His portfolio ranges from vases designed for everyday use to imaginative artistic objects.
Plush Animals – collectible vases collection
He consults his designs, which he sketches and drafts on paper, with glass masters and workshops from various parts of the Czech Republic. He then finalizes the designs, including the technical details, and moves them towards realization. František Jungvirt collaborates with the very best workshops and masters in the field. Thanks to them, he is able to create products of the highest quality and push the boundaries of the glassmaking craft.
The production of each blown vase begins with the creation of the mold
Using a paper template that replicates the shape of the intended vase, the cavity is hand-turned into the wood on a lathe. The wooden mold is made from hard beech or pear wood, carefully
selected to be free of knots and other irregularities that could compromise the quality of the blown form.
Before the actual blowing process, the wooden mold must first be fired with molten glass at a temperature of around 1200 °C. Depending on the size and complexity of the shape, a wooden mold can withstand the blowing of roughly 50–100 pieces. If larger deviations in the shape occur, the mold is discarded and a new one has to be made. The production of molds is the work of the moldmaker, who is always in close communication with the glassworks for which the molds are produced, as each glassworks has different requirements for molds, opening locks, etc.
Glass Melting
Glass melting represents the first and also the most important step in the glassmaking process. It is overseen by the melt master, whose work begins after the glassmakers’ shift ends, as by the following day he must prepare a flawless glass batch for production. The primary raw material of the glass batch is high-quality silica sand, mined in Provodín, Srní near Česká Lípa, Velký Luh near Cheb, as well as in Střeleč and Mladějov in the Hradec Králové region. Sand makes up roughly 60–80 % of the glass batch. The unique properties of crystal are achieved by adding a variety of compounds, such as calcium oxide, sodium oxide or potassium oxide. These oxides are introduced into the batch either in the form of minerals (e.g. limestone) or chemically prepared materials (e.g. soda). These additives influence the properties of the glass. The batch also contains cullet—sorted, clean waste from previous glassblowing sessions. In addition to the main glass-forming raw materials, a variety of additional substances with specific properties are used in glass production—for example, colorants, which are usually expensive metal oxides such as cobalt, manganese, gold, selenium, erbium, cadmium and many others.
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Mouth-Blown Glass
Mouth-blown glass is a specific and demanding discipline. The centuries-old method of blowing crystal glass has changed little since the times of ancient Phoenicia. The skills of glassmakers – the techniques of glass blowing and melting – are passed down from generation to generation. Each mouth-blown piece is unique and bears the touch of true masters of the glassmaking craft. Did you know that at least twelve pairs of hands are involved in creating a single blown vase? The glassmakers divide the tasks among themselves, each specializing in a particular part of the production process, so dozens of people usually contribute to every finished product.
Process of making a mouth-blown vase:
Gathering molten glass onto the blowpipe
Reheating the gathered glass
Glassblowing is not just about the lungs—it relies primarily on skilled hands
Large products with complex coloring require several scoops of glass.
The glassmaker reheats the glass batches on the pipe.
Cutting out large bubbles and impurities from the enamel
Each piece of glass must be rolled in a wooden rolling mill into the required preform, as close as possible to the final shape.
Glass rubies (colored glass cones) for coloring glass (if not from the furnace)
Cutting preheated glass ruby onto the base glass bulb
The glass mold must be kept wet at all times.
Before blowing, the mold must be fired with hot glass.
Burnt mold with black crust
Glass molds are blown either firmly (non-rotating shapes) or rotatably (rotating with a pipe).
The mold is closed until the shape is inflated.
The glassmaker gives the signal to open the mold by raising his foot.
Aligning the bottom of the vase with a stick to make it flat for subsequent grinding
Comparison of kick temperatures and burner shape before product cooling
Creating a so-called skirt for placing the product in a cooling oven
Straightening a skirt with a stick
Transferring thick-walled products to a cooling furnace for long-term cooling (1-2 days)
Cooling on a belt furnace usually takes several hours, depending on the thickness of the wall and ice of the product.
Glass finishing
Grinding, engraving, painting, and even decorating glass while it is still hot in the furnace are techniques that further refine the material, enhancing both its artistic and craftsmanship qualities. František frequently employs these decorating techniques. But how can we tell the different techniques apart?
Edge and ball grinding is performed on the surface of a horizontally mounted wheel, which produces a relatively flat surface. Ball grinding is done on the edge of a vertical wheel, creating a curved and often deeper surface. The entire process, for both edge and ball grinding, begins with so-called “roughing,” during which all excess material is removed. This is followed by grinding and fine shaping, giving the piece its final form, and then polishing to a high shine. In the end, the finished piece meets the specifications of the technical drawing in terms of size, shape, and, most importantly, decoration.
Glass painting is considered one of the masterful techniques of glass refinement. Insects and other natural motifs are among the oldest themes depicted on glass. František expands on these motifs, aiming to lighten and modernize them. His paintings even reveal a scientific eye for nature—his insects and flowers look as though they’ve just been plucked from a meadow or landed on someone’s nose. Each painted motif is created in several layers, which must be firedgradually in a painter’s kiln. The work is therefore lengthy and demanding, requiring both precision and cleanliness.
Glass paint consists of a glass-forming base (silica, sodium, potassium, calcium), coloring metal oxides (e.g. iron for brown, chromium for green, cobalt for blue) and possible other ingredients (borax, lead oxide) that affect fusibility and properties. These powder paints are mixed with a carrier and turpentine to be applied to the glass, and then fired (600- 640°C) to diffuse the color centers into the glass surface, creating the final shade.
For glass painting, high-quality synthetic brushes or brushes with natural hair, such as marten hair, are recommended, which are suitable for fine details and even paint application. The type of brush (flat, round) depends on the desired technique.
Finishing Touches
All finished pieces undergo a final quality inspection. Once they meet the strictest quality standards, each piece is hand-signed by the artist on the base. Additionally, a certificate of authenticity is provided with every glass piece.
