The Glass Surface Ferdinand Pire works with a specific kind of light, the kind that sits behind glass rather than resting on top of it. Born in 1943, this Belgian painter has spent decades refining the technique of eglomisé. In his studio, the process is one of reversal. He applies paint to the back of a glass pane, meaning every stroke and detail must be planned with an eye toward how it will appear once viewed from the front. This me…