The Greek origin of the word means "light in stone" or to "appear in stone".

How beautifully this describes these porcelain castings which, in ambient light, seem only to be bumpy surfaces forming a vague picture "and these is really nothing to see" as Mr. Blair always said. But, when the ambient light is extinguished and the lithophane is back-lit, a beautiful, three-dimensional picture appears in incredible depth and detail.

Popular in Europe in the mid-19th Century, lithophanes began their life as a thin sheet of beeswax. Artisans carved the pictures in the wax, a plaster-of-Paris mold was made

from the wax carving and the porcelain slip was poured in this mold to dry. Removed from the mold, the porcelain was then fired. Where the picture is the lightest, the porcelain is very thin, and where it is darkest, the porcelain is very thick.

They functioned as candle shields, night lights, lampshades, fire screens, veilleuse-théières (tea warmers) and were hung in windows to catch the light.

The Blair Museum of Lithophanes has the largest collection of these unique porcelain pictures in the world.

They offer a wide variety of subjects, reproductions of famous religious art, nature, land and seascapes, historic figures and architecture, and scenes of everyday life. Some are humorous, some are awe-inspiring, all are delightful..

Available by appointment for groups from 5 to 15 members. $5.00 per person. Click here for questions about tours or to set an appointment.
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