From Sacredness to Everyday Life: the History and Current State of Glass Painting in Belarus

Glass painting in Belarus dates back to the 18th century, when icons were painted using this technique not only for home use but also for churches. During the 19th century, the tradition remained predominantly sacred, and with the beginning of the 20th century and spread of cheap window glass, it emerged as a separate type of decorative and applied art, expanded throughout the territory of Belarus and began to acquire an increasingly ornamental and decorative character. From the late 1940s to the early 1960s, glass painting was widely used to decorate the interiors of houses in villages and towns, but by the late 1990s this form of folk art had declined, mainly due to decrease in demand. In the Pruzhany district, the tradition was revived in the 2000s thanks to the work of the Folk Master of Belarus Maria Kuletskaya. Based on interviews with the bearers of the tradition, the article addresses the problems of preserving and promoting glass painting in modern conditions, including by giving this tradition the status of intangible cultural heritage.