Murano glass in the 1900s: design and artisanal tradition

At the beginning of the 11th century in Murano, there was renewed fascination with the creation of glass. In fact, master glassblowers in Venice had already been creating small glass bottles using glassblowing techniques in 982. In the second half of the 13th century, all of the furnaces were transferred to the island of Murano, as a safety measure to protect the city. After nearly 900 years of magnificent artisanal work, at the beginning of the 20th century, the creativity of architects and designers was combined with traditional craftsmanship. This was a particularly active period, unique in the history of glassmaking. Artists began to design items, particularly vases, compelling the masters in Murano to experiment and discover new expressive opportunities. Up to the 20th century, the Murano’s glass products were based on Renaissance models. Then, on the wave of new designs by Louis Comfort Tiffany in the United States and Emile Gallé in France, Italy began, although a bit later, to formulate a new way of conceptualizing artistic glass. Two painters, Vittorio Zecchin...