Glass is a magical medium, capable of infinite manipulation. When hot it can be blown or moulded, drawn out as thin as butterfly's wings, or cast into shapes of awe-inspiring monumentality. When cold it can be cut into infinite shapes, roughened with sand blasting or eaten away with acid. While still transparent it can be made tough enough to stop bullets, or so delicate it trembles at a touch. Glass has been made for thousands of years, yet we are still just beginning to explore its potential. A complex silicate of metallic oxide, glass dates at least from ancient Mesopotamia.During succeeding centuries it was formed into objects deluxe for the wealthy few or used to adorn architecture, especially houses of faith, with miraculous windows. In the nineteenth century, new methods of production brought glass within reach of the general population, but it was still mainly used for such functional applications as tableware or lighting, or for the occasional display piece. Only toward the end of the nineteenth century did individual artists begin to explore this material as an expressive medium - a fascinating evolution that this book traces over 150 years. "Stained & Art Glass" considers both studio glass and flat, stained glass, from the artist's point of view. While the different methods have their own histories, at every step experiments by individuals have produced the hugely expanded range of techniques available to glass artists today.