Josef Hospodka

Josef Michal Hospodka graduated from the State School of Graphics in Prague in 1938–1940 and then studied at the School of Applied Arts in the studio of prof. J. Holečka. After the war, together with other graduates of the School of Applied Arts, he went to the borderlands to help preserve the glassmaking schools there. Then until 1952, he was a teacher at the vocational glass school in Nové Bor, where he headed the metallurgical and blown glass department. The pub became one of the pioneers of original blown glass with its collection of bottles. He applied old techniques, but found new shape and color solutions corresponding to the modern concept of glass.[7] He was also the first pupil of Holeček's studio at the School of Applied Arts in Prague to start working with metallurgical glass.

As the director of the glass factory in Chřibská, he introduced the centrifugal casting method into production. This unique technology represented new technical production possibilities using metallurgical glass and moved the entire glass industry forward.[8] Hospodka's massive and colorful metallurgical glass vases from the late 1960s won international awards, but were never produced on a large scale. Less well knowns are his vases with geometric patterns from air bubbles, which Hospodka designed in collaboration with glass master Václav Šlajer in the mid-sixties, or metallurgical glass decorated with stickers. Renowned and revered, the exceptional works of this artist have found their cherished home in prestigious international glass museums. These masterpieces have garnered global acclaim, captivating the hearts of discerning glass collectors around the world. Our esteemed gallery is honoured to house a stunning collection of artworks by this celebrated artist.

Submitted by InterArtGalleryGor