Venice, Italy is one of the first European cities that has a history of manufacturing glass—since the 12th century! But it’s believed that the origins of Murano glass date back to 9th century Rome, with significant Asian and Muslim influences as Venice was a major trading port. Multi-hued perle (beads) were used in trading with Asian, African and Muslim neighbors.

Venetian “cristallo,” invented by Angelo Barovier, is a clear, highly malleable, completely transparent colorless glass that can be blown into vessels with remarkably thin walls. The cristallo chandelier is Italy’s equivalent to France’s crystal chandelier.

Intricate designs from the mid to late 15th century can be found on Murano goblets, bottles and pitchers. They had ornate surfaces with gold leaf or sophisticated enamel designs, even Picasso-inspired sculptures and figurines, including enameling and gold leaf.  It can also be found in the form of charming drinking glasses and, of course, the magnificent chandeliers.

The isolated northwest island of Murano is only a 20-minute Vaporetto ride from the main canals and was originally settled to protect the secrets of the glass artists who were sent there to perfect their craft. In 1291, the Maggior Consiglio (Venetian government) decreed that all the glass furnaces had to be moved from the city of Venice proper onto the island of Murano because of the fire hazard that the glassmaking process posed to a city built of wood structures. Politically astute observers note that the consolidation of all glassblowers onto a small island allowed the government to better oversee and manage its monopoly on the profitable industry. The Republic further tightened its control by issuing an edict forbidding glassblowers to practice their craft in other countries.

Eventually, some of the master glassblowers were lured to the Netherlands, Germany, France and Spain where they described their works as à la façon de Venise. By 1950, so many artists had left Murano in search of “brighter” horizons that many of the original workshops closed. Of course throughout Europe, the original designs were getting a new look, as artisans altered the styles to meet local tastes and available materials. This work soon came to take on the name Bohemian crystal, with characteristics such as being thicker, heavier and often engraved.

Paolo Venini led the resurgence of Murano glassblowing by developing up-and-coming artists and mentoring them and distributing their work under his company V.S.M. Cappellin Venini & Co. Inside Venini’s workshop, a sculptor named Napoleone Martinuzzi invented a new technique using opaque glass. Pulegoso, a translucent glass identified by innumerable bubbles, was controversial as it opened the door to experimentation. After a long series of friendly mergers, family mergers andshifting of glassblowers, today the Toso family still runs Barovier & Toso Co.