Murano Glass Making Techniques
When we think of Murano glass everyone thinks of something different, from the magnificent Murano chandeliers that grace Italy’s finest homes, restaurants & hotels to the colourful & beautifully crafted paperweights that look as if a flower has been preserved in glass.
Just how do these master craftsmen & women achieve such an amazing variety of finishes? The answer lies in the specialist glass making techniques developed over hundreds of years on the Venetian island of Murano. Below are a few of the ways in which the finished glass products we see are produced, each production technique providing a ‘type’ of Murano glass.
Lampworking
The basis of Murano glass making, this involves heating silica to extremely high temperatures, converting it to a molten liquid state. It is then allowed to slowly cool, adding melting agents (flux) to help slow the solidification process, & whilst in this soft state is worked & shaped by the artist. Other raw materials are then added to the glass to produce various effects; sodium to make glass surfaces opaque, nitrate and arsenic to eliminate bubbles, along with a variety of coloring and texturing materials, depending upon the desired effect.
Filigrana Glass (also includes Reticello & Retortoli glass)
Developed in the 1500s, this is perhaps the most famous Murano glass making technique, & is used on the classic Venetian goblet. Pieces are created using clear glass rods fused together, surrounding an opaque white or coloured core, which is then shaped or blown by the glassmaker. These can be created in different patterns one of which is reticello, when the threads are woven together to form a diamond shaped grid, with small air bubbles forming inside the glass threads. Another pattern is a retorti or retortoli when threads are twisted into a spiral. Single filament rods are called Mezza Filigrana.
Murrine Glass
Another well know glass making technique, & the basis of the equally well known ‘Millefiore’ (a thousand flowers) glass, Murrine glass originated in Egypt between the third and the first century B.C & was developed by the Romans,before being revived in the late 1800s.
Thin glass rods in different colours are placed around each other to form a pattern, usually a geometric or floral design (much like a stick of Brighton rock) & then fused together, whilst retaining their place in the pattern. The rods are then stretched & pulled & thin cross sections cut ready to be placed on the surface to be decorated. Placed together on the object which is then encased in tinted or clear glass the final result is one of the most commonly seen techniques in paperweights, vases & gift ware.
Vventurina Glass
Used for vases, paperweights and other objects, Vventurina glass contains micro particles of copper or other metals, giving it a gilded appearance. The copper particles may be naturally sparkly, or they may be coloured for example red or dark blue. The name comes from Ventura (Italian for venture) as blowing this glass is very difficult & working with these materials is considered an adventure!
Cold Work (Incisio, Battuto, Velato)
When the glass is cold the surface is finished using a grinding wheel. The wheel is used in different ways, & to different depths giving very different results.
Incisio (meaning incision) is where the grinding wheel is used to score a fine line into the glass.
Battuto (meaning beaten) is similar to Incisio, but with deeper 7 broader cuts, often used to create fish scales.
Velato is where the glass is softly ground over large areas (or the whole piece incision) to obtain a glazed surface, like satin.
Sommerso
Meaning submerged (or sunken) the first sunken glass were produced in the late 1930s, & is used mostly in vases & sculptures. Layers of glass are formed by being dipped repeatedly in various pots of different coloured molten glass, with a clear outer surface & multi coloured layers underneath. This remains one of the most popular techniques for making contemporary Murano glass pieces, in particular.
Incalmo
An ancient technique, this requires great skill from the artist performing it. An object (often a sculpture, or a Venetian goblet) is formed used different pieces of glass which have been separately made & are then joined together by warming the glass & shaping to obtain a single piece. Working accurately & quickly enough to ensure pieces are bonded together perfectly is difficult, & is usuially undertaken by the glass ‘Masters’.
Oro Glass
Used in high end Murano chandeliers to provide gold (oro) accents, parts are made with a small piece of golden foil either applied on the outside of the glass, or sunk inside the glass.Iridato Glass
A thin irridescent coating is produced on the glass, by exposing the piece to gaseous vapors of a metal such as tin or titanium..
Ghiaccio Ice Glass
When hot glass is submerged in cold water a finely crackled surface is produced. Usually found on vases & decorative items.
About the Author
Tina chooses & buys contemporary furniture for Go Modern, who have a large rnge of Murano glass & contemporary chandeliers, from Formia glass, one of Murano’s top factories.
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