Glass production in Murano boasts a millenary tradition: for centuries, thanks to the creativity and manual dexterity of generations of families of master glassworkers, Murano has been the world cradle of artistic glass and today the working of its glass is one of the most refined forms of artistic craftwork in the world, deeply embedded in its roots and historical traditions.
The production area of the artistic glass of Murano was established in the second half of the 13th century, when for security reasons the furnace men where transferred to the island. The importance taken on by glass production at the time is testified by the fact that the Master Glassworkers of Murano were given a noble title and registered in the Golden book of patrician Venetian families. The production of those times limited itself to objects of common usage, and little else, to which however was added mosaics, which were exported to the Exarchate of Ravenna.
In the 15th century this production was paralleled by that of luxury goods, deeply influenced by the Renaissance culture, which gave the glass art a human dimension, taking it well beyond the outcome of a simple craft. The transparent glass, whose roman technique was retaken by Barovier, began to appear in trays, cups, glasses, plates, chalices and cesendelli (cylindrical oil lamps). In these great years of splendour and artistic vigour, the Muranese art of glassmaking also reorganised itself with the laying of a new Statute the “Mariegole of the art of the glassworkers of Murano”, which sets a strong discipline for those who want to practise the art of producing glass, which was watched over by a dedicated magistrature. Between the 15th and 16th century some researchers attribute an important invention to Murano, that of the mirror, which becomes widespread in the 18th century.
The Republic of Venice recognised valid patents for the glassworkers who introduced new techniques and the authorities restricted the export of these technologies, bestowing only to those who had the citizenship of the island of Murano the possibility of working as teachers and apprentices.
Nevertheless, the art of glasswork spread throughout Europe, above all in France, England and Bohemia.
The competition put the sector into crisis, from which it began to pick up again only in 1861 with the opening of the Glassworker Museum and the Design school for glassworkers, currently under the name of the Abate Zanetti School of Glass (www.abatezanetti.it).
With the objective of preserving and defending the millenary tradition of this beautiful art, in 1985 the Consorzio Promovetro (www.promovetro.com) was set up. This organisation represents the glass craftwork companies and Muranese industrialists, and is entrusted with the management of the “Vetro Artistico® Murano” trademark, established by the Veneto Region and registered at the European Office for harmonisation in Alicante.
The Trademark (www.muranoglass.com) can only be applied to handmade artistic glass products produced on the island of Murano that are executed in full respect of the ancient Muranese tradition.
The activity of the Consortium Promovetro finds expression in the participation at the most important national and international fairs, in the organization of business missions in Italy and abroad as well as exhibitions and events, in drawing up commercial agreements with service companies.
Every year Promovetro organizes the participation at the following fairs:
- Macef in Mailand (twice in a year)
- Maison et Objet in Paris (twice in a year)
- Ambiente – fair in Frankfurt.
The current Cluster of the artistic Glass of Murano – recognised on the basis of Law no. 8/2003 of the Veneto Region and subsequent amendments- is worth a mention.
The sector puts a strong emphasis on international trade, with a value of exports that exceeds 50% of overall sales.
In 2008 the Venetian export sector for “glass and glass products” recorded 102 million Euro with a decrease of 14% compared with 2007, while “lighting equipment and electric lamps” reached over 93 million Euro with a slight export decrease (-1.1%) in comparison with 2007.
The production of fancy goods for furnishing and gifts, such as: vases, sculptures, ornaments, glasses, chalices, jugs, goblets, cups, fruit-stands, trays, murrhine glass, lit glass, glass beads, artistic glass, represent 46% of the total sales. The manufacturing activity connected to lighting – chandeliers, lamps, suspensions, appliqués – accounts for 36% and the remaining 18% is divided among decorative, engraving and grinding work, or by other finished products like mirrors, tiles and stained-glass windows.
Not to be forgotten are the articles of “purpose designed lighting” requested to furnish the most prestigious international hotels and sacred places worldwide.
Since 1956, the Stazione Sperimentale del Vetro has also been active on the island of Murano. Under the control of the Ministry of Productive Activities, it has the task of promoting the technical progress of the national glass industry through surveys, studies research and analysis.
The Experimental Glass Station - only organisation in Italy to deal institutionally with the technical and scientific problems of the entire glass industry (hollow, flat, fibre, technical and manually worked glass, raw materials, refractory materials, ovens, etc.) including that operating in the sector of artistic glass - carries out an important function of transferring research results to practical application in the industrial process. |
