Beneath the Crystal Surface of Waterworld. A Look Into the Work of Tomáš Lesser, an Acclaimed Engraver

For his precision and diligence, he has even been granted the honorary title of Chevalier (Knight) of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Literature). Next to masterpieces with the themes of Alphonse Mucha and other icons of Czech artistry, he has been working on the Waterworld collection, among others. How do these works come to life under the touch of the master engraver?

Although the workday at the glassworks officially begins at six in the morning, Tomáš Lesser typically arrives at five already. Like any other engraver, he first began with simpler methods such as floral motifs. "Everybody has to go through this to get a firm grasp of the basics of engraving," he confirms and continues: "An engraver can't do without the knowledge of wedge cuts or lines. Once you have improved, you can work your way up to, for example, animal motifs, and then, you are able to progress further." When it comes to such works, the engraver may find the knowledge of anatomy to be helpful, but the most important factor is artistic training, which Tomáš Lesser had been undergoing since childhood.

He attended an art school and later studied glassmaking at a Secondary School of Applied Arts. He joined the Moser company right after obtaining his apprenticeship certificate in the year 1993. Since day one, he was working under the leadership of Vladimír Skála, a renown local engraver, who considers his long-term collaboration with Tomáš Lesser as one of the main highlights of his career. "A good engraver gains independence gradually and starts doing things in his own way. However, he must learn the basic methods from someone truly experienced, and I personally have learned them from Mr. Skála, whom I greatly admire," Lesser recalls, also noting the engraving legends Ivan Chalupka a Milan Holoubek, whom he has always looked up to.

Sea Fish and Coral Reefs

Technologies used by glass engravers have remained unchanged for decades now, the exception being the introduction of diamond wheels. However, the individual styles of each engraver and specific motifs continue developing. Moser collections presently include the Waterworld, which allows a glimpse beneath the crystal surface. In this case, vases and bowls are decorated with precisely engraved fish, turtles, or octopuses. While working, the master engraver must take into consideration the size of the object, which to him is something like a painting canvas. "The heavier the piece, the more difficult it is to create details on it. Waterworld is characterised by its size and colours, in my opinion, the engraving is of medium difficulty," says Tomáš Lesser. Fish fins differ not only in shape, but also in their mottling and colouring. All that must be taken into account when the engraver plays around with the level of matte or shine of a given vase. One rule of thumb is that an engraving which runs deeper appears to be visually closer than the rest of the artwork.

The Waterworld Collection

Aquamarine, beryl, and eye-catching variations of blue. These colour tones highlight the magic of Waterworld in combination with the artistic engraving. The Eden vase stands out with its Dragon and Fish motif, while the Globe vases represent the colourful Fish Kingdom. Tomáš Lesser also works on the specific engravings, which include turtles and octopuses. Thanks to the artistic engraving, individual vases are distinguished by minuscule details. The master engraver recognises that each piece can be described as unique.

In addition to sea creatures, Lesser's engravings also resemble coral reefs, or azure lagoons. Although he enjoys working on the Waterworld collection, he prefers figurative motifs which pose a greater challenge. He considers a woman's face to be the most complex of all engravings. "A bearded, wrinkle man gives me no trouble," the master engraver laughs. "However, to engrave a nice, clean woman's face, already requires a

certain level of expertise. Especially if it's based on a specific model." In his profession, Tomáš Lesser, just like all his coworkers, is continuously pushing to reach the next level. One of the master engravings which he has recently worked on is based on the paintings of Alphonse Mucha. "I am currently working on a vase, where there are three colours in play at once. I am having my fun with it, subtracting layers and thus making the piece lighter and lighter and creating various colour shades."

A Knight Among Engravers

According to Mr. Lesser, both an artist and a master craftsman must always retain the motivation to further improve and advance. He himself would never consider his work to be completely flawless. "Nobody's perfect. If I thought that of myself, it would be high time to quit," muses the acclaimed engraver. His work attitude has not changed even when he became a Knight of the Order of Arts and Literature. In the year 2020, he accepted this prestigious title, whose laureates include author Bohumil Hrabal, singer and actress Hana Hegerová, or artist Adolf Born, from the hands of the French Minister of Culture in Paris. It is a coincidence that not too long ago, he worked on an engraving of Václav Havel, former president and another laureate of the Order of Arts and Literature. "Sometimes, I still find myself in disbelief; it is such an honour. I believe that such awards can strongly encourage young glassmakers and elevate our craft in general," concludes the honorary title holder.

Tomáš Lesser

He joined Moser in the year 1993, upon graduating from a Secondary School of Applied Arts with focus on glassmaking. Since then, his personal approach and attention detail have made him one of the most acclaimed engravers in the Czech Republic. He was taught the basics by Vladimír Skála, a pioneer of the art of engraving. Two years ago, Tomáš Lesser was granted the honorary title of Knight of the Order of Arts and Literature by the French Ministry of Culture. He dedicates his leisure time outside the glassworks to engraving, too, and creates smaller pieces for his friends – just for the fun of it. "When it comes to this kind of activity, one must really find enjoyment in it. I consider glass engraving to be my mission in life," he adds. Some of Moser's products have been elevated by Lesser's own motifs, the Amalfi vase with an engraving of a majestic peacock being one of the popular examples. If the acclaimed engraver were to choose a local artist, whose paintings he would like to transfer onto glass, it would be, for example, Oldřich Kulhánek, the author of the art found on Czech banknotes.