Murano glass has been manufactured on the Venetian island of Murano for centuries. Murano has been a commercial port since the 7th century. During the past 700 years, glass manufactured at Murano has become recognised as some of the finest glass in the world.

History of Murano Glassmaking

Glass making was required to move from Venice to the island of Murano in 1291 as a precaution against the risk of fire in the mainly wooden buildings then constructed throughout the ancient city. The skills required to manufacture what is now known as Murano glass probably originated around the 9th century in Rome.  The manufacturing process was heavily influenced by techniques utilised throughout Asia at the time, with conciderable Muslim influences.

By the 14^th Century, glassmaking was such an important industry in Venice, that the Murano's glassmakers were the island’s most prominent citizens. So important in fact, that glassmakers were not allowed to leave the Republic. However, some artisans ignored the law and did leave, resulting in Murano style glass becoming established as far afield as England and the Netherlands.

By the 17th century, more than 40% of the inhabitants of Murano were involved in the glassmaking industry.

Murano’s glassmakers held a monopoly on quality glassmaking for centuries, developing or refining many technologies including crystalline glass, enamelled glass (smalto), glass with threads of gold (aventurine), multicoloured glass (millefiori), milk glass (lattimo), and imitation gemstones made of glass. Today, the artisans of Murano are still employing these centuries-old techniques, crafting everything from contemporary art glass and glass jewellery to Murano glass chandeliers and wine stoppers.

The Museo Vetrario or Glass Museum in the Palazzo Giustinian on the island of Murano, exhibits displays on the history of glassmaking as well as glass samples ranging from Egyptian times through to the present day.

There are still many workshops on the island which give demonstrations of their glass making skills and sell their products via their own shops in the town. However, the skills are gradually being lost as less aprentices come forward to learn them, prefering the easier life and higher incomes available in modern cities.

The Art of Glassmaking

Most Murano glass art is made using the lampworking method. The glass is made from silica which becomes liquid at high temperatures. As the glass passes from a liquid to a solid state, there is an interval when the glass is soft before it hardens completely. This is when the glass-master can shape the material.

Murano glass today

Some of Murano's historical glass factories remain today as well known brands, amongst them Venini, Barovier & Toso, Pauly, and Seguso. The oldest glass factory is Pauly & C. - Compagnia Venezia Murano, founded in 1866.

Materials

Flux or melting agents, soften at lower temperatures than pure silica, while the presence of sodium oxide slows down the rate of solidification. The addition of such materials make hand-working easier by allowing the glassmaker more time to shape the material. Other additives are used to obtain different results, eg sodium makes the glass surface opaque, nitrate and arsenic eliminates bubbles and a wide range of colouring or opacifying substances are also added to achieve the results required by the glass-master.

Colours, techniques and materials

By adding various agents a wide range of different colour effects can be obtained. For example, copper and cobalt compounds creat Aquamarine, while gold creates ruby red. The millefiori technique begins with the layering of sliced canes of glass, conterie or tiny glass beads are formed by cutting thin glass canes into sections when cold which are heated and rounded. Filigree, incalmo, enamel painted, engraving, gold engraving, lattimo, ribbed glass and submersion are just a few of the other techniques a glassmaker can employ.

Sommerso

Sommerso (lit. "submerged" in Italian), or "sunken glasses", is a form of artistic Murano glass that has layers of contrasting colors (typically 2), which are formed by dipping the object in molten glass; the outermost layer, or casing, is often clear. Sommerso was first formed in Murano during the late 1930's, made popular by Seguso d'Arte in the 1950's. This process is a popular technique for vases, and is sometimes used to form sculptures.

Tools

Some of the tools used by a glass-master include borselle (tongs or pliers used to hand-form the red-hot glass), canna da soffio (blowing pipe), pontello (an iron rod to which the craftsman attaches the object after blowing in order to add final touches), scagno (the glass-master's workbench) and tagianti (large glass-cutting clippers).