From craft to art: World’s oldest glassmaking school turns 170

When the first sound of glass rang out on March 31, 1856, in Kamenický Šenov (then known as Steinschönau) inside the newly established School of Drawing and Modelling, no one could have imagined they were witnessing the birth of an institution that would outlast an empire, wars, economic crises, and sweeping changes in the glass industry. This year marks 170 years since the small North Bohemian town began writing the story of the world’s oldest glassmaking school.

Photo: Střední uměleckoprůmyslová škola sklářská Kamenický Šenov

In the mid-19th century, Kamenický Šenov was among Europe’s most vibrant glassmaking hubs. Local engravers, painters and cutters were highly regarded, but they lacked systematic training in drawing and modelling—the foundation without which the craft could not evolve further. Glassmakers therefore joined forces to establish a school that would equip apprentices with new skills and a broader artistic outlook.

The school’s first director was academic painter Jan Dvořáček, who brought not only know-how from Vienna but also the ambition to elevate glassmaking from craft to art. He succeeded.

Photo: Střední uměleckoprůmyslová škola sklářská Kamenický Šenov

From empire to modern design, the school survived the Austro-Hungarian era, the First Czechoslovak Republic, wartime disruption and post-war upheaval. Its studios have seen generations of teachers and students who have profoundly shaped Czech and global glassmaking. Among its alumni are names now firmly embedded in design history, including René Roubíček, Vladimír Kopecký, Jiří Šuhájek and Ivo Rozsypal.

After 1989, the school experienced a revival—expanding international cooperation, modernising its teaching and introducing new disciplines such as lighting design, computer graphics and vitrograhy. In 2005, it received the prestigious UNESCO patronage, placing it among the world’s elite educational institutions.

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A major turning point came with an extensive renovation in 2019. With support from the Liberec Region, a new Centre for Vocational Education was built—a modern complex of workshops and studios that allows students to work with both the latest technologies and traditional techniques.

Today, the school works closely with leading glass companies such as Preciosa Lighting, Moser, Crystalex and Pačinek Glass. Students benefit from direct contact with industry, with many going on to art universities or straight into top-tier glassmaking firms.