Murano
Murano glass - we have all certainly heard of Murano glass, but where does it come from? What is its history?
Murano glass was born in 1291, when it was decided that the glassworks of Venice were transferred to Murano. This decision, which soon proved to be important for the inhabitants of the island of Murano, was taken because the ovens in the workshops in Venice were the main cause of serious fires.
Concentrating all the glassworks in Murano was useful in Venice to control the activity of glass masters and preserve the art that had made it famous all over the world. Jealous of fame, Venice forced the glass masters to live on the island and prevented them from leaving it without special permission. Despite these restrictions, however, many glassmakers managed to escape, taking with them a wealth of craftsmanship experience and exporting their famous teqhniques abroad. The most significant crisis that Murano glass had to face was in the fifteenth century, when the manufacture of Bohemian crystals began. Venice managed to get out of it, thanks also to the use of Murano glass to make chandeliers, still today one of the best known and most appreciated works in Murano glass.
The glass used is made of silica, which is transformed into liquid at very high temperatures. It is in this still liquid phase that the skill of the craftsman comes into play: the glass is very soft and easier to shape. Once the liquid has cooled, the glass will have become solid and hardened: at this stage it is no longer possible to process the glass. During processing, depending on the type of object being processed, the craftsman will add other chemicals to make the glass opaque, eliminate bubbles, color the glass.
A unique show that certainly deserves to be experienced and known!
Michelle
