Light, Color, Magic: The Fascination of Venetian glass
The word “Murano” is synonymous with the highest quality glass made in the world. For hundreds of years, the artisans of Murano have been innovators in the design and production of all kinds of glass objects: vases, bowls, mirrors, light fixtures, glasses, dishes, paperweights, jewelry and precious art.
You can find all of these and more in factories and showrooms on Murano, and in shops in central Venice. Murano is a lagoon island, which, like the city of Venice, is made up of a cluster of smaller islands connected by bridges. Just seven minutes by boat from Venice, Murano is easily reached by taking a vaporetto, water taxi, from the Fondamente Nuove or from San Zaccaria.
Beginning in the 9th and 10th centuries, Venetians have excelled at the chemical industries: making glass, soaps, dyes, tiles. In other words, they’ve been good at converting one kind of chemical substance into another. Traditionally, the process of making glass begins when the raw ingredients of sand, limestone, soda ash, potash and other compounds are melted in furnaces; the transformation of these materials into glass takes place above 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Before the 13th century, glassmaking was carried out in Venice proper. But in 1291, fearing a fire hazard, the Venetian government decreed that all glass-making be moved away from the main Venetian centers to the island of Murano.
Also, by consolidating all of the glassmakers to Murano, the government could keep a close watch on the industry and maintain a monopoly. Therefore, glassblowers were forbidden to divulge the secrets of their craft, or to work in other countries.
So, the various glass masters, working in close proximity on the small island of Murano, competed with each other. As a result, innovative glassmaking techniques developed and the quality of the glass grew to become ever more refined and exquisite.
During the Renaissance, in the 15th and 16th centuries, glass masters created cristallo, a type of white glass resembling porcelain, and developed the practice of enameling glass. As Murano’s fame spread, the wealthy, including crowned heads of Europe, started traveling there to shop.
Eventually, some glass artisans defected to other countries, disrupting Venice’s glass monopoly. However, in the 1860s, Vincenzo Zanetti established The Glass Museum of Murano; and, around the same time, the famous glassmaking family of Antonio Salviati began again to produce pieces of glass based on ancient designs.
In 1896, the first Venice Biennale — the international art fair that, to this day, takes place every two years — brought renewed attention to Venice’s glassmaking industry. Masters from Murano and other countries met, shared ideas and techniques, and paved the way for a new sense of cooperation among glass craftsmen the world over.
And then in the 1920s, the glass industry of Murano experienced another renewal. Famous masters such as Toso, Zecchin, Venini, Cappellin, Venini, Barovier and Seguso opened companies and created new techniques.
In the 1950s, Peggy Guggenheim (the art collector whose Venetian palazzo eventually became The Peggy Guggenheim Museum) organized a collaboration between Venetian glass masters and world renowned artists such as Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall and Max Ernst. This cooperative was called the Fucina degli Angeli, the Foundry of the Angels, and led to museum exhibitions both in Europe and in the U.S.
Venetian glassmaking continues to thrive and spread, with new artists elaborating on the ancient tradition. Lino Tagliapietra, born on Murano in 1934, apprenticed with master Archimede Seguso at the tender age of 11. At 21, Tagliapietra was named a master in his own right. Tagliapietra has spent many years sharing his knowledge and experience with glass artists from many countries. He has won numerous awards and his work is exhibited in major museums.
Another modern-day glass master is American Dale Chihuly. Influenced by the Muranese glassblowing tradition, he established the Glass Department at the Rhode Island School of Design. In 1996, a project entitled ‘Chihuly over Venice’ included the hanging of 14 chandeliers at various Venetian venues.
But one current danger to Venice’s glass market is counterfeiting. Copies of characteristic Venetian designs are being made in Asia for sale overseas. In response to this threat, a Murano trademark was registered with the European Union in 2002. Before making a purchase, look for a lilac-colored sticker with a cana de soffio, a glassmaker’s blowpipe, and the inscription: “artistic glass Murano.”
Glass Museum
Once you arrive on Murano, stop first at Il Museo Vetrario-The Murano Glass Museum, housed in the 17th century Palazzo Giustinian (on the Fondamenta Giustinian). It’s open all year round.
Here you can see glass pieces dating from the 1st century all the way up to the present, including world-famous masterpieces.
Many factories on Murano hold glassmaking demonstrations. You can also take a tour of the factories and purchase glass. Sometimes it’s possible to strike a bargain.
While on Murano, stop in and visit the Basilica dei Santi Maria e Donato (also on the fondamenta Giustinian) built in the 12th century. The relics of St. Donato, and the bones of the dragon he is supposed to have killed, were brought to Murano after the Second Crusade (1147-1149). The church has a beautiful mosaic floor, whose designs incorporate some ancient fragments of glass from the island’s foundries.
Shops
You’ll see glass shops wherever you go in Venice. It’s been estimated that there are 1,000 shops in the San Marco district alone! And you can find a glass gift to fit into any budget. Here are just a few of the best names in Venetian glass:
Seguso. In Murano: Fondamenta Radi, 20; In Venice: Piazza San Marco, 143; www.seguso.com
Barovier & Toso. In Murano: Fondamenta Vetrai 28; www.barovier.com
Venini. In Murano: Fondamenta Vetrai, 47; In Venice: Piazetta Leoncini, San Marco 314; www.venini.com
L’Isola. In Murano: Fondamenta Manin; In Venice: Campo San Moise’, San Marco 1468; www.CarloMoretti.com. This is the shop of Carlo Moretti, a renowned contemporary glass artisan.
Galleria Marina Barovier. In Venice: San Marco, Salizada San Samuele 3216; www.barovier.it. Here you can buy 20th century Venetian glass and contemporary international glass.
For more information on the Glass Museum, and on all the museums in Venice: www.museiciviciveneziani.it
Divine Wine Bars: A Taste of Venice
A visit to La Serenissima, the most Serene Republic, as Venice used to be called, calms the mind, delights the senses, and, like all of Italy, awakens the taste buds. The quality of Italy’s food and wine is legendary, and during the Renaissance Venice was most famous for its sophisticated cooking. Although today the city is known more for its art, beauty and peaceful way of life than for its cuisine, Venice does have its own traditional ways of enjoying the fruits of the field.
Arriving in Venice you make your way by foot or boat through a world of ancient wonders: Gothic and Renaissance palaces, ancient stone bridges, gondolas on the canals, busts of angels and faces in bas-relief on the facades of buildings, open-air markets, store windows displaying hand-blown glass, people of all nationalities mingling on the streets.
Whether you come in the high season from spring to fall, or at Carnival time in February when costumed-revelers parade up and down the narrow streets, or in the low season, those tranquil winter months, you can always find places to join the locals and eat as the Venetians do.
Situated on the Adriatic Sea, Venice is made up of more than 100 low-lying islands linked by bridges that cross the waterways — canals and rios. When you decide to take a break from walking the calli, streets, and riding the vaporetti, water taxis, stop in at one of the many wine bars. In Venice they’re called bacari, after Bacchus, the god of wine and pleasure.
There you can enjoy the time-honored tradition of having cicchetti e l’ombra, which literally means “a little bite to eat and some shade.” But now l’ombra has also come to mean a glass of wine. Many of the bacari are located on both sides of the Rialto Bridge, the center of commercial life when Venice was an independent republic (from the eighth until the eighteenth century). But if you look, you can find a bacaro in almost any part of Venice.
Bacari tend to be dimly lit, with hammered copper kettles hanging from the ceiling, and a bancone, or glass-enclosed counter, which displays the cicchetti, appetizers. Venetian specialties include: fondi di carciofo saltati, olio, aglio, e prezzemolo, lightly fried artichoke hearts; baccala’ mantecato, creamed cod-fish, ready to spread on fresh bread or drizzle on hot polenta; folpetti, octopus boiled and dressed with oil and parsley; verdurine fritte, fried vegetables.
Food is eaten standing, or sitting on benches, washed down with a glass of red or white wine, or Prosecco, Venetian sparkling wine. A favorite Venetian drink is the spritz: Prosecco and Campari with a splash of mineral water.
Bacari are generally open from 11-1 pm and from 5 or 6 until 10 or 11 pm. But first, there is so much to see. Venice is divided into six sestieri, or districts, each with its own particular atmosphere. Here is just a tiny sampling of some of the myriads of attractions making Venice the extraordinary city that it is — along with the closest bacaro to duck into in any given area. There are a few cafes and restaurants listed here, too.
Cannaregio. This sestiere, on the northernmost part of the city, is where most of the local Venetians live. Here you may find hand washing strung on clotheslines over waterways and quiet streets with small grocery shops.
Ca’ d’Oro, or House of Gold. On the Grand Canal, this palazzo is a shining example of Venetian gothic architecture. Marino Contarini, the wealthy patrician who commissioned its construction in 1420, wanted it to be the most glorious palazzo in all of Venice. The intricate decoration and carving on the facade were once embellished with ultramarine gold leaf. Today the palazzo houses a museum with works by great masters such as Mantegna, Carpaccio, and Titian.
Church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli. This early Renaissance masterpiece is a favorite place for Venetian weddings. Built to house a miracle-working painting of the Madonna, it is made entirely of marble. Inside, the ceiling is painted with 50 portraits of saints and prophets.
Fondamente Nuove. For a peaceful getaway by the open sea, walk along this chain of waterside streets that face the northern lagoon. On a clear day you can see the Dolomites.
Wine bars:
Un Mondo DiVino. A play on words, the name of the bar can be translated as either ‘A Divine World’ or ‘A World of Wine.’
Cannaregio (5984/A; tel: 041-5211093), right off of the Campo San Caciano, a few steps away from the Campo of Santa Maria dei Miracoli, is right off of the Campo San Caciano, a few steps away from the Campo of Santa Maria dei Miracoli.
Alla Vedova. Calle del Pistor, Cannaregio 3912; 041-5285324; near Ca’ D’Oro. This is a restaurant as well as a wine bar.
San Polo and Santa Croce. These two sestieri were the centers of the original commercial hub of Venice, established in the eleventh century. Today, San Polo is filled with markets, bars, and stores, while Santa Croce is one of the more ‘authentic areas’ of Venice, with its small streets and squares.
Rialto Bridge and Markets (San Polo). This stone version of the Rialto Bridge has been here since the sixteenth century. Lined with shops selling everything from jewelry, to leather, to paper goods, to glass, the top of the bridge also offers a brilliant view of the sunset. At the Rialto markets, local produce is brought in and unloaded from barges every morning. The Pescheria sells fish and the Erberia sells fruits and vegetables.
Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari (San Polo). This gigantic gothic cathedral astonishes its visitors with its size and with the scope of the great artworks it houses. Known as “frari,” which in the Venetian dialect means frati, or brothers, it was founded by the Franciscan brothers in the thirteenth century. Titian’s Assumption of the Virgin hangs over the main altar.
Scuola Grande di San Rocco (San Polo). The Scuole were charitable institutions run by wealthy merchants, during the time when Venice was an independent Republic. This Scuola was dedicated to San Rocco, or Saint Roch, the patron saint of contagious diseases. Venetians thought he would save them from the plague. Inside, frescoes by Tintoretto cover the walls and ceilings.
San Giacomo dell’Orio (Santa Croce). The name of this church and its quiet courtyard comes from the word for laurel, alloro. Originally built in the 9th century with many subsequent restorations, Veronese painted the ceiling and altar paintings in the new sacristy.
Ca’ Mocenigo (Santa Croce). This palazzo, built by the powerful Mocenigo family, is now a museum dedicated to showing life as it was lived in the eighteenth century. Antique fabrics and costumes are on display in the Museo del Tessuto e del Costume.
Ca’ Pesaro (Santa Croce). A masterpiece of Baroque architecture, this palazzo was designed by the great Venetian architect Baldassare Longhena. Today it is the seat of the International Gallery of Modern Art, containing works by such artists as Klimt, Chagall, Kandisnky, Klee, and Matisse.
Wine bars:
Cantina do Mori. San Polo 429; entrances on Calle Galiazza and Calle Do Mori; tel: 041-5225401; Founded in 1462, this is one of the most famous Venetian wine bars, near the Rialto market.
Al Marca. San Polo 213; tel: +393939924781; In the Campo Bella Vienna, next to the Erberia.
Restaurant:
La Zucca. Santa Croce 1762; tel: 041-5241570; in the San Giacomo del’Orio district, this popular restaurant serves local fare with some vegetarian specialties.
Dorsoduro. With a mix of wealthy residences, quiet canals, busy squares, and art-filled churches and museums, this sestiere is one of the prettiest and most varied.
Campo Santa Margherita. On Tuesday through Saturday mornings, open-air stalls sell fish, fruit, and vegetables in this spacious campo filled with shops, cafes, and bakeries. Nearby at the Ponte dei Pugni you can find a floating market, with produce sold boat side.
Accademia. Made up of three former religious buildings, the museum contains five centuries of Venetian art.
Le Zattere. Walk along this quay, which looks across the Giudecca Canal. From here you have a wonderful view of architect Andrea Palladio’s Church of the Redentore.
Wine bars:
Osteria da Codroma. Dorsoduro 2540; tel: 041-5246789; Fondamenta Briati; closest waterbus stop, San Basilio.
Cantina del Vino gia’ Schiavi. Dorsoduro 992; Fondamenta Nani; tel: 041-5230034; at the foot of the bridge of San Trovaso, just off the Zattere.
San Marco. The most famous of the sestieri, San Marco was the centerpiece of the Venetian Republic. Today it continues to be the heart of the city, and the most visited. Most of the luxury hotels, restaurants, and shops can be found here.
Piazza San Marco. There are several entrances to the Piazza, but the best way to arrive is from one of the calli, narrow, brick-lined streets. Then you will suddenly find yourself in the vast, open, light-filled space. Flocks of pigeons swirl overhead and eat from the hands of bemused tourists.
Basilica San Marco. With its five Byzantine-inspired domes, four bronze horses, intricate carvings, and facade mosaics, this breathtaking cathedral commands undivided attention at the head of the Piazza. Its vast interior contains golden mosaics and priceless works of religious art.
Palazzo Ducale. In the Piazzetta, the small square that adjoins the Piazza San Marco, stands the Palazzo Ducale, or Doge’s Palace.
A Gothic/Byzantine masterpiece of rose and white marble, it was once the official residence of the 120 doges who were the Sovereigns of Venice between 809 and 1797, and where they met with members of the group of patrician public officials that governed the state. Visit these gilded halls of power, with works by Veronese, Titian and Tintoretto.
Torre dell’ Orologio. The clock tower has recently been reopened after many years of restoration. Climb to the top to see the inner workings of the Renaissance clock, the two Moors who strike the bell on the hour, and a spectacular view of the Piazza on the right, and the Basilica on the left.
La Fenice. One of the most famous theatres in Europe, La Fenice has been the site of many operatic premieres. It was rebuilt after 1836 when a fire destroyed the interior, and again after1996 when another fire destroyed the building. It has been restored in the classical 19th century style.
Wine bars:
Vino Vino. San Marco 2007a; Calle delle Veste; tel: 041-2417680; near La Fenice.
Osteria “Alla Botte”. San Marco 5482; Calle della Bissa; Campo San Bartolomeo; tel: 041-5209775; near the Rialto Bridge.
Cafes:
On two sides of Piazza San Marco are the Caffe’ Quadri and the Caffe’ Florian. Sit outside and enjoy the spectacle of life in the Piazza while drinking a high-priced coffee or a Bellini: Prosecco and peach nectar. Food is served both inside and outside. Both caffe’s have orchestras.
Caffe’ Quadri. Piazza San Marco; tel: 041-5289299.
Caffe’ Florian. Piazza San Marco; tel: 041-5205641.
Castello. The largest sestiere, Castello begins east of Piazza San Marco, and includes the waterside promenade of Riva degli Schiavoni, the former shipyards of the Arsenale, the public gardens, and many beautiful hotels, palazzi and churches.
Riva degli Schiavoni Facing the water, Riva degli Schiavoni, is lined with luxury hotels and outdoor cafes at its western end, close to Piazza San Marco. There is also a wonderful view across the lagoon to the island, and the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore, by Andrea Palladio. Continuing east, the crowds thin. Eventually you arrive at the Giardini Pubblici, the public gardens, a good place to sit and watch the sunset. The gardens are the site of the Biennale, an international modern art fair, held every other year.
Scuola di San Giorgio degli SchiavoniThis Scuola, established in 1541, has paintings by the Venetian artist Vittore Carpaccio, showing scenes from the lives of St. George, St. Tryphon, and St. Jerome.
Church of Santi Giovanni e PaoloThe huge gothic church contains many outstanding works of art, including monuments to 25 doges.
Wine bars:
Osteria al Mascaron. Calle Lunga Santa Maria Formosa, Castello 5225; tel: 041-5225995; near Campo Santa Maria Formosa.
Aciugheta. Castello 4357; Campo SS. Filippo e Giacomo; tel: 041-5224292.
For more information on the city of Venice, go to: www.comune.venezia.it
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