Samples of glass patterns

Story of the venetian mirror

Glossaire of the techniques

The first glass ever made in Murano was in 982 and was imagined by Dominicus Phiolarius, blower of glass bottles. At that time, Art glass factories were located in Venice, but with the growing fears of fires within the walls of the doges city, the Serenissime Great Council decided to move all these factories since 1291 in a laguna island : Murano.

At least, this was the official and political reason, but more especially this was to keep away all possible competitors and all curiousness from the secrets and glass alchimies.

Within the XVth century and during the venitian Renaissance, the production will reach the highest degree of perfection, of variety and will match perfectly with the epoch aspirations, fact rarely observed within the decorative art story.

The very first splendor is the invention of a transparent glass, either fine and light, named “ cristallo “ refering to the rock crystal. Then appeared enamel painted glasses, often goldened, illustrated of comtemporary portraits or mythologique scenes ordered by all the european kingdoms.

Finally, the most rafinated filigrane of white glass, inserted within the transparent glass, is submitted to long and delicate manipulation before its swirlled eclosion.

The production of these master pieces may not hide other aspects of the venitian glass industry that the float and the venitian commercial networks also widened, like glass pearls that took an important role with slavery commerce, and the mirrors considered untill the XVII century as the most beautiful in the world. Within the centuries, the Venitian glass production has confirmed itself as the must of any collection.

Thanks to all these techniques developped in Murano, Venice imposed its know-how in the overall european production and still represents one of the best in the world.