Hinterglasmuseum Sandl

About the museum

Reverse glass painting came to Buchers in the Bohemian Forest in the second half of the 18th century with painters from northern Bohemia. Around 1800, painters from Buchers established workshops with their families and assistants in nearby Sandl. In the 19th century the craft became an important economic sector there; at its peak around 50,000 pictures were produced, which pedlars carried to wide parts of the Danube Monarchy as far as Russia. The "Sandlbild" became the term for the reverse glass picture par excellence, and reverse glass painting in Sandl has been part of UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage in Austria since 2012.

In 1986 a regional support association decided to set up a showroom in Sandl, because until then visitors interested in reverse glass pictures had had to be sent to Freistadt or Linz. The museum opened as early as 21 May 1989. It is run by the arts and culture association "Hinterglas Sandl", and the building belongs to the municipality of Sandl.

The exhibition shows around 140 pictures in chronological order and explains the special technique, in which painting proceeds from the foreground to the background. A small painting room with two depicted painters, tools, paints and information on distribution and on the painters' everyday life complete the display. Typical of Sandl are depictions of saints, local patron saints and devotional images as well as floral motifs, above all the rose, in bright colours with gold leaf. The museum bears the Austrian Museum Seal of Quality.

Highlights

• Around 140 reverse glass pictures in chronological order
• Sandl reverse glass painting as part of Austria's UNESCO intangible cultural heritage
• Painting room with depiction of painters and explanation of the technique
• Typical motifs: saints, devotional images and the Sandl rose
• Austrian Museum Seal of Quality

Permanent exhibition

• Hinterglasmalerei in Sandl – Around 140 pictures show the development, motifs and technique of Sandl reverse glass painting; a painting room illustrates the painters' work.

Founded

1989

Operated by

Hinterglas Sandl – Kunst- und Kulturverein im OÖ Volksbildungswerk

Admission & discounts

Tour guides and coach drivers have free admission.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

Address: Sandl 17, 4251 Sandl.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Museum shop according to the Verbund Oberösterreichischer Museen.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

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