The family of Václav Cigler have announced the acclaimed Czech artist passed away on January 8, 2026. He died in Prague at the age of 96 after a career of exploring pure geometry and light using the optical clarity of glass in an approach that influenced generations of artists.
Born on April 21, 1929 in Vsetín, Czech Republic, Cigler trained at the Secondary School for Glassmaking in Nový Bor, where he specialized in etching and engraving, as well as painting. He then moved to Prague to study at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design under Josef Kaplický, who led the School of Specialized Techniques of Painting on Glass, who intrigued the younger artist for his unique perspective on glass, which Cigler told Glass Quarterly for a 2023 article by Glass contributing editor Emma Park ("Clarity of Purpose" in the Fall 2023 edition of Glass [#172]).
In the article, Park describes how, after completing his studies in Prague, Cigler was invited by Kaplický to exhibit at the Milan Trienniale and Brussels Expo, which helped him be recognized for his work in clear glass. Despite his growing reputation, Cigler left Prague and moved to Slovakia (at the time it was part of Czechoslovakia), where he was invited to lead the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava. This move was likely a chance for the artist to pursue an aesthetic that differed from that of Stansilav Libenský (1921–2002) and Jaroslava Brychtová (1924–2020). By that point, Libenský was leading the Glass in Architecture department at the Academy of Arts, Architecture, and Design, and Cigler's exploration of minimalist forms in optically pure glass would find more support at an academy outside of Prague.
Though not Slovak, himself, CIgler is credited with shaping a distinct Slovakian approach to glass, which stems from the influence of his own aesthetic on that of his students. Perhaps best known of his students is Štepán Pala, but a whole generation of artists were strongly influenced by Cigler, who led the Glass in Architecture department in Bratislava from 1965 until 1979.
Cigler also exhibited internationally at art fairs, gallery exhibitions and musuem shows. His work was prominently featured in the 2023 exhibition "Bohemian Glass: The Great Masters" at Le Stanze del Vetro in Venice.
There will be a service on January 23 at 3 PM at the Church of Our Lady of the Snow in Prague to honor Cigler's life.
Condolences may be sent by post to the family at:
Cigler
Potofaj Uvoz 5
Prague 1
118 00 Czech Republic