Then, for a time, the island was best known for its mirrors, then its chandeliers, also for its glass beads, and gemstones made of glass and many other varieties of glass. The secrets that spun out of the work of families like the Barovier family were regarded much the same as treasure. Fathers in glassmaking families even passed down to their sons zealously guarded glass-making recipe books.
By , almost half of the 24 furnaces that existed in Murano in had been shut down, and only five furnaces continued to produce blown glass. Over many decades, the industry got back onto its feet and new, prestigious firms were founded. After centuries of history and myriad challenges, the islands that comprise Murano, which altogether measures about 1.
Some centuries-old museum pieces look remarkably contemporary, with the colorful stripes and swirls we still associate with Murano.
Among many other prominent glass artists, Dale Chihuly was greatly inspired by Murano glass. During the s, Chihuly even brought two Muranese masters to teach students at his Pilchuck Glass School near Seattle. In fact, in addition to their glassmaking techniques, a long tradition of secret-keeping has been passed down through generations of Murano glassmakers. If the glass masters left Italy, they could no longer be part of the Arte the guild on their return.
Essentially, Murano glassmakers held a monopoly on European glassmaking until the 16th century. During this period the glassmakers pioneered many glass technologies including enamelled glass, lattimo milk glass and optically clear glass. Eventually, Venice lost its monopoly at the end of the 16th century because glassmakers began leaking their secrets across Europe. Today, Murano glassmakers pass on their glassmaking techniques and secrets from generation to generation, crafting everything from contemporary art glass and jewellery to chandeliers.
At this temperature, the sands fuse into liquid glass. The furnace temperature is then lowered to stir the glass and obtain the intentional colour to fuse. The glass will be reworked and tested for elasticity before it is gathered on the end of the blowpipe. The assistant continues to roll the pipe in the furnace, spinning the pipe to remove any excess. At this phase thin layers of real gold leaf, pastes of colour, and silver can be added to give the glass its unique colour and design.
Coordinating with the assistant, the Glassmaster takes the prepared liquid glass and continues to shape it, pulling, crimping, lengthening, and cutting the glass where required. Depending on the complexity of the piece, the glass may need to be reheated and reworked at several stages.
Every artistic movement made gives the glass its desired shape. Pipes with small holes at the end allow the glass to be blown to create pressure inside the glass. The air blown creates bubbles which will make the shape of the glass rounded for goblets, vases, and many other forms. Traditionally the assistant blows and turns the glass as the master works it into shape with blocks of wood soaked in water. When the piece is finally finished it is placed in a furnace to harden, gradually bringing down its temperature so that the glass does not crack.
The glass is also placed on a bed of sand so that it does not collapse in on itself. Cold work has been used by many glass masters to add their unique stamp and artistic style to the piece. No bare hands are involved there. Most of the tools used have were developed in the Middle Ages, and both these and the glass-blowing process have barely changed since then.
This method of glass making results in the most beautiful creations, rich in colour and surreal in the patterns and shapes created. As mentioned above, what makes Murano glass so special is its history and methods of creation.
It is world-famous for its unparalleled quality, exquisite range of colours, and not to forget the unsurpassed craftsmanship. In fact, the avant-garde Murano glass is so fine that it can be easily differentiated from all other forms of Venetian glasses. Plus, the incredibly wide range of pure colours of Murano glass is still looked at with awe and envy by the glassmakers from all around the world.
You can see the history of this exquisite glass art at the Murano Glass Museum, located on the island the glass is named after. Look carefully at the rare and precise deigns that still give the impression of a moving liquid, whilst also looking so fine and fragile when the light hits them. Accessible by vaporetto, you can reach the island of Murano in 10 minutes from Venice.
Murano is included in our Venice Islands Tour, which also includes Burano and Torcello, an easy way to see all 3 at once! Related article: Visiting Piazza San Marco.
0コメント