Blue Persian with Red Lip Wrap

Between 1965-67, Dale Chihuly studied at UW–Madison with Harvey Littleton, credited as one of the founders of the American studio glass movement. The work is one from Chihuly’s series “Persians,” which he began in 1986 and which, in his own words, “started out as a search for form.” In this series of works, Chihuly showcased his mastery of glass by highlighting the medium’s transformational properties. He used gravity and centripetal force to engage the natural properties of glass, leaving chance and physics to determine the shape of the resulting artwork—rather than precise craftsmanship. In their method of production, asymmetry, and patterning, the “Persians” serve as classic examples of Chihuly’s objective, which art historian Tina Oldknow has identified as “the exploration of form and the glass itself as a vehicle for color, and the orchestration of color to create transformational environments.” The Persians draw elements from classical Greek, Persian, Byzantine, Islamic, Venetian, and art nouveau glass production.