Venetian maestros developed tools and techniques for glass blowing that are still in use today. (Photo via Getty Images)
Whether clear or ribboned with color, delicately fashioned into animals, fish and other figures, or used to create decorative plates and bowls, hand-blown Venetian glass, also known as Murano — for the neighboring island — has been a design mainstay for centuries.
Blown glass is made using silica (sand) and other components heated at high temperatures in a furnace, then shaped by a skilled glass blower using a blow pipe, a metal rod called a pontil and hand tools. Italy led the way in this process.
“They kind of cornered the market in the development of deep knowledge, in terms of passing it on from generation to generation pretty much through to the 16th century,” says VCU Arts Professor of Glass and Director of Graduate Studies Jack Wax. “All of the tools that we use were all developed in Italy — and a lot of the more advanced fabrication techniques.
“They were the best in the world. They could make things no one else could technically.”
Early versions of Venetian glass in the 15th century were clear, known as cristallo, or opaque, called lattimo. This style was followed by the use of vivid hues, techniques such as enameling, and intricate patterns like millefiori (“thousand flowers”), with its small, bud-like bursts of color. Over time, while other countries mastered the art, Italy’s impact remained.
Venetian glass continues to be made in Murano, with new pieces available, and vintage examples can be purchased through sites such as Chairish and 1stdibs.
Image via Wikimedia Commons
1291 — A landmark law
A 1291 law required all Venetian glass furnaces to be relocated to Murano, an island about a mile away by boat, ostensibly to limit the risk of fires among Venice’s wooden structures. But the move was also seen as an attempt to sequester the craftsmen and protect trade secrets. Beginning in the 17th century, as trade routes expanded and other countries mastered glass making, Murano was no longer considered its epicenter.
1295 — Barovier & Toso
Founded in 1295, what is now Barovier & Toso is one of Murano’s oldest glass-making companies, with a history that includes Angelo Barovier’s discovery of how to make clear glass in 1450 and an ongoing tradition of producing finely detailed and distinctive chandeliers, wall sconces and table lamps. A 1936 merger created today's Barovier & Toso; among its most iconic pieces is what’s known as the Taif Chandelier, created in 1980 for a Saudi king.
1921 — Venini and Carlo Scarpa (1932)
Recently marking its centennial, the Venini glass factory was founded by Paolo Venini and Giacomo Cappellini in 1921. Architect Carlo Scarpa (1906-78) became the artistic director in 1932, incorporating innovative design and color, along with pioneering techniques such as bollicine (small air bubbles) in glasswork.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
1934 to the present — Lino Tagliapietra
Born in 1934, the recently retired glass blower Lino Tagliapietra apprenticed to glassworks at the age of 11 and became a maestro a decade later. During his storied career, Tagliapietra was a Steuben artist-in-residence, creating his own designs using Steuben crystals. In 2011, Tagliapietra inaugurated the glass studio at the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk with a public demonstration.
Today
A new exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, “Sargent, Whistler, and Venetian Glass: American Artists and the Magic of Murano” (through May 8, 2022) presents Venetian glass vessels in tandem with works from 19th-century American artists inspired by their time in Venice. The Chrysler Museum of Art has an extensive collection of glass, including pieces dating from the 1920s to the 1960s made in well-known Murano factories such as Venini and Barovier & Toso.
20TH-CENTURY MURANO GLASS
Vintage selections available through Maurice Beane, the Richmond-based specialist in 20th-century decorative arts, at chairish.com/shop/mauricebeaneartanddesign
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Handkerchief vases, circa 1950, blue and white ribboned, signed, $375; Cranberry, $250; Pink and white ribboned, Venini Fazzoletto, $385 (Photo by Jay Paul)
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Monumental Italian Cenedese "Scavo" Vase, circa 1970, $1,100 (Photo by Jay Paul)
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Figurine, Pauly & Co., circa 1950, $300 (Photo by Jay Paul)
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Lamp Barovier & Toso Cordonato d'Oro, $925 (Photo by Jay Paul)