Eight Heads of Harvey Littleton

Title: 
Eight Heads of Harvey Littleton

Notice of Upcoming Content and Access Change

The Museum is working on the future of our online collections access. A new version will be available later in 2023. During this transition period, the current version of the Collections Browser may have reduced functionality and data may be not be updated. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. For any questions or concerns, please contact us.

What is AAT?

The Art & Architecture Thesaurus (AAT) (r) is a structured vocabulary for generic concepts related to art and architecture. It was developed by The Getty Research Institute to help research institutions become consistent in the terminology they use.Learn More

Object Name: 
8 Sculptures
Title: 
Eight Heads of Harvey Littleton
Maker(s): 
Place Made: 
Federal Republic of Germany, Frauenau
Accession Number: 
76.3.32
Dimensions: 
Assembled Dimensions Vary
Location: 
Not on Display
Date: 
1976
Web Description: 
Erwin Eisch (b. 1927) is a painter and sculptor whose original work in glass made a profound impression during the formative years of the Studio Glass movement. Eisch met the studio glass pioneer Harvey Littleton in 1962. Through their friendship, an important link was established between European and American studio artists working in glass. Eight Heads of Harvey Littleton is Eisch’s multiple portrait of Littleton. Each mold-blown and enameled head represents a different aspect of the artist’s personality. These heads, from left to right, are titled Littleton the Spirit; Littleton the Gentleman; Littleton the Fragile; Littleton, Man of Frauenau; “Technique Is Cheap”; Littleton’s Headache; Littleton the Poet; and Littleton the Worker. “Technique Is Cheap” refers to Littleton’s widely quoted aphorism that urged artists to concentrate on the artistic content of their work, rather than on glassworking techniques.

More Info

Department: 
Postwar and Contemporary
Provenance: 
Kunsthaus Museum, Source
1976-12-09
Color: 
colorless
multicolored
Technique: 
etching
mold-blowing
cold painting
Material: 
marble
glass
paint
Copyright: 
© Erwin Eisch

Description

Primary Description: 
Colorless glass; cold painted. (A) Littleton the Gentleman: mirrored inside, with glasses, with marble base. (B) Littleton the Poet: with glasses and beanie. (C) Littleton the Teacher: mirrored inside, glassblower painted on right side of head; set on square black base. (D) Littleton, Man of Frauenau: cold painted in facial area and around base with scene of town. (E) Littleton the Worker: applied band of colorless glass across nose and around head, square black base. (F) Littleton's Headache: painted with bandages surrounding head and chin area, etched in other areas, square black base. (G) Littleton the Fragile. (H) Littleton's Spirit: with collar and tie.

Exhibitions (1)

Masters of Studio Glass: Erwin Eisch
Venue(s)
Corning Museum of Glass 2012-03-15 through 2013-02-03
Masters of Studio Glass: Erwin Eisch is a special exhibition of 22 vessels and sculptures by one of the founders of studio glass in Europe, Erwin Eisch (German, b. 1927). The exhibition recognizes Eisch for his achievements in developing glass as a material for artistic expression, and it celebrates the 50th anniversary of the birth of studio glass in the United States. Eisch, a close friend of American Studio Glass founder, Harvey K. Littleton (American, b. 1922), had a profound influence on the development of American, as well as European, studio glass. Objects in the exhibition span 40 years of Eisch’s career in glass from 1964 to 2004. His works are tradition-breaking, and his radical thoughts about art reflect the unorthodox approach to glass that has characterized his work throughout his career. All of the works presented are drawn from the Museum’s collection.

Publications (16)

Xian dai bo li yi shu fa zhan zhi lu = Development of contemporary glass art / 现代玻璃艺术发展之路 = Development of contemporary glass art / 韩熙著 (2019) illustrated, p. 87;
La escultura en vidrio (2017) illustrated, p. 221 $a(fig. 4.75);
Glass: Virtual, Real (2016) illustrated, pp. 30-31; BIB# 167899
Glasscaster with Marcie Davis: Erwin Eisch: A Life of Sharing Techniques, Inspiration, and a Little Mischief (2013) illustrated, pp. 42-43; BIB# 93144
Past and Present (2012) illustrated, p. 28, top left; BIB# 135030
Harvey K. Littleton: A Life in Glass (2011) illustrated, p. 108; BIB# 127267
Eclats! Le musee se met au verre ... contemporain (2011) illustrated, p. 23, illustration 12;
Glass, Knocking at the Door of Art (2010) illustrated, p. 50; BIB# 115616
Contemporary Glass Sculptures and Panels: Selections from the Corning Museum of Glass (2008) illustrated, p. 29, 72-73 (fig. 53, plate 12); BIB# 107478
1950'den gunumuze cam heykel sanati (2007) illustrated, p. 26, # 30; BIB# 120378
Modern and contemporary art glass (2006) illustrated, slide 54; BIB# 130418
Glass in Art, History, and Science at The Corning Museum of Glass (2003) illustrated, p. 69, no. 10; BIB# AI64198
Contemporary Glass: A World Survey from The Corning Museum of Glass (1989) illustrated, p. 55; BIB# 32803
Thirty Years of New Glass, 1957-1987, from the Collection of the Corning Museum of Glass (1987) p. 3; BIB# 2318
Beschauliches Fleisch : Bemerkungen zur Kunst von Erwin Eisch = Contemplative flesh : thoughts on the art of Erwin Eisch. (1986) p. 9; BIB# 60548
Recent Important Acquisitions, 19 (1977) illustrated, pp. 180-181, #63a-63h; BIB# AI90914

Objects in Set (8)

Littleton the Gentleman
Artist:Eisch, Erwin
Date:1976
Accession Number:76.3.32 A
Littleton the Poet
Artist:Eisch, Erwin
Date:1976
Accession Number:76.3.32 B
 
Littleton the Teacher
Artist:Eisch, Erwin
Date:1976
Accession Number:76.3.32 C
Littleton, Man of Frauenau
Artist:Eisch, Erwin
Date:1976
Accession Number:76.3.32 D
 
Littleton the Worker
Artist:Eisch, Erwin
Date:1976
Accession Number:76.3.32 E
Littleton's Headache
Artist:Eisch, Erwin
Date:1976
Accession Number:76.3.32 F
 
Littleton the Fragile
Artist:Eisch, Erwin
Date:1976
Accession Number:76.3.32 G
Littleton's Spirit
Artist:Eisch, Erwin
Date:1976
Accession Number:76.3.32 H