 |
We love Murano glass, and we made our share of mistakes when we started out collecting. It takes studying and understanding the quality of the Glass. Glass making began in Venice in the 9th century under the Romans. Because Venice was a major Port City there were influences from the near and far East. In the !3th century because many of the buildings were made of wood and there was a great fear of fire all the Glass making industries were ordered by the Venetian Republic to move to the island of Murano (1291).
 |
| Carlo Scarpa 'battuto' vase, Venini & C., 1940http://kocoma-collection.blogspot.com/2011/03/carlo-scarpa-battuto-vase-venini-amp-c.html |
These glass makers became prominent citizens but were not allowed to leave the city. Some however did manage to leave and set up glass making work shops as far away as England and Holland. By the end of the 16th century almost half of the Island's population were involved in the Glass making trade. They produced the standard for glass making. New techniques such as crystalline glass, aventurine glass ( threads of gold), millefiori.
 |
| Pulegoso vase By Martinuzzi |
During the Twentieth century some of the better known Murano's glass makers were Venini, Barovier, Toso, Salviati, and Seguso. These innovators produced Sommerso , where there are two or more layers of colored glass(deleloped by Seguso) , Battuto (chiseled looking glass), Pulegoso (frothy glass),Scavo, frosted glass and Corroso, glass whose surface is irregular to the touch due to the use of a chemical agent..
 |
| Large Red Scavo Vase by Barbini |
During the early Modernist period Architects and designers designed pieces in glass. Foremost among these were Gio Ponti, Carlo Scarpa, Archimedes Seguso and Napoleon Martinuzzi. Their ideas took Murano glass from the frilly Chandelier into the design world of the new modern era.
No comments:
Post a Comment