Eglomise
Technique of artistic glass decoration from the reverse side
Eglomise is an exquisite technique of decorating glass, where a design, ornament, or even gilding is applied to the reverse (externally invisible) side of the surface. This approach achieves a special depth: the image seems to hide behind a transparent barrier and "glow from within." Most often, eglomise can be found in various interior objects of the 18th–19th centuries — mirrors, clocks, boxes, sometimes furniture.
The peculiarity of the technique lies in the artist working "in reverse": first drawing the finest details, then applying the background color. This requires not only artistic skill but also quite intricate logic!
Interestingly, the term owes its name to the French antiquarian Jean-Baptiste Glomy, who popularized this type of painting in the 18th century, although the method itself is much more ancient.
Today, eglomise is valued as a method of exquisite decoration for designer objects and rare antique items.