# Melted Glass Portraits Loren Stump's Murrine Paintings Are Beautifully Complex By Vasiliki Marapas | Published 2014-11-12 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/murrine References: [thisiscolossal](http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2014/06/sliced-glass-paintings-and-portraits-by-loren-stump/) & [stumpchuck](http://www.stumpchuck.com/) Loren Stump's expertise lies in a special form of [glasswork](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/star-hill-farm) called murrine. The process involves [melting rods of glass together](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/get-your-rocks-off-honey) before they're sliced open to expose gorgeous, intricate patterns. This practice is far from new, appearing to originate from the Mideast several thousand years ago. However, Stump has spent the past 35 honing his technique, allowing him to complicate the process by [layering portraits and paintings together](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/split-bust) before cutting them open. Stump's work is nothing short of amazing. His most difficult piece is his murrine interpretation of 'Virgin on the Rocks,' two classic paintings by Leonardo da Vinci which he has melted to create a singular piece. Stump has perfected an ancient medium, and is now able to use it in beautiful, complex ways that will astonish and delight. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.0/10 - Popularity: 38% | Activity: 14% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Murrine Portraiture:** Glass artists are adopting murrine techniques to create stunning portraits and paintings. - **Layered Glass Art:** Artists like Stump are elevating the murrine technique by layering paintings before cutting to create intricate, multi-dimensional works. - **Innovative Glassworking:** Artists are experimenting with new techniques in glassworking to create unique and captivating pieces like Stump's murrine portraits. ### Who This Affects Most - **Art:** The art industry can capitalize on the rise of murrine portraiture as a popular and unique form of glass art. - **Crafts:** Crafts industry businesses can explore new and innovative glassworking techniques to offer unique products similar to Stump's layered glass art. - **Home Decor:** The home decor industry can offer one-of-a-kind decor by incorporating the beauty and innovation of murrine glass techniques into their products. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Venetian Baked Glass Housewares](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/arte-veneziana-melt.md) - [Glass Beaded Intricate Artworks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/painting-exhibition.md) - [Digital Archetype Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/christian-rex-van-minnen-1.md) - [Artful Glass Vessel Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/patchwork-vessel.md) - [Human Torso-Inspired Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lene-bdker.md) - [Artful Custom Mirror Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/portraits-collection.md) - [Spiral Glass Vessels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/spiral-glass.md) - [Artisanal Artful Glass Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kaanch-glass-series.md) - [Glass Handcrafted Jewelry Lines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/handcrafted-jewelry-line.md)