Dichroic glass dates back as far as the fourth century AD. This ancient color-changing glass has very few surviving examples, and what does persist are mainly just fragments. By far, the most famous and well-preserved example from this era is known as the Lycurgus cup. When backlit, the cup appears a deep red; when lit from the front, it has a green hue.
Dichroic glass was also manufactured and used during the Renaissance in Venice, but these pieces are rare as well.
In the more modern era, dichroic glass as we know it today came directly from research conducted by NASA and its numerous contractors. The solution was called chameleon glass, and it was intended to protect astronauts from the negative effects and harsh glare of unfiltered sunlight. Used in dichroic filters, this coated glass also acted as a shield against cosmic radiation.
After the invention of dichroic glass for this specific purpose, it wasn't long before the beautiful, captivating, visually interactive glass caught the eye of various artists.
The first was an aerospace engineer who worked for a NASA contractor throughout the 1960s. By 1971, he left that industry to pursue artistic endeavors. A pioneer in the creative applications of dichroic glass, he created everything from stained-glass windows to mobiles.
Dichroic glass became increasingly popular with artists, and more and more architectural glass manufacturers began commercially producing the product.
