What’s special about Murano Glass?
- What is Murano Glass?
- How is Murano Glass Made?
- How are Murano Glass Sculptures Made?
- How do you know if your Murano Glass is Authentic?
Are you interested in Murano Glass from your furniture shop in the Philippines? You can definitely peruse various collections and catalogs. This glass shows off the expertise of Italian craftsmen through beautifully made sculptures. Murano Glass can be used for various unique pieces, such as sculptures, jewelry, and other miscellaneous items. Venetians are masters of Murano glass. Crafting Murano Glass artwork is Venice’s most famous art form. Many tried to replicate the uniqueness and special qualities of Murano Glass but authentic Venetian Murano Glass remains the best. Curious about Murano Glass? Read on to learn more.
What is Murano Glass?
Murano Glass is one of the most refined types of craft in the whole world. It’s renowned, produced by the passion and expertise of Venetian glass artisans with experience and lessons that are at least thousands of years old. Murano glass was first created in the 13th century on the island of Murano, located in Venice.
The glass factories were mainly in Venice, however, it was a fire hazard. The local government of Venice has prohibited the use of ovens for industrial production purposes. The glass factories were then moved to the island of Murano. There are still a few glass production facilities in Venice, but they have since then mastered a technique that doesn’t involve the use of ovens for crafting.
How is Murano Glass made?
Murano glass starts with raw materials such as sand, soda, and Chile saltpeter. The raw materials are mixed together in the fusion process. A heat-resistant crucible is used to fuse all of the materials and is placed in a kiln. The temperature of the kiln can reach up to 1400 degrees Celsius. Murano glass starts off as colorless, in order to add color, minerals, oxides, and chemical derivatives to the base of the glass powder.
The kiln or ‘fornaci” on Murano has a large crucible, which has a maximum capacity of 20-25 quintals. There are also kilns with small crucibles that are used for colored and opalescent glass. For modern kilns, they’re equipped with heat retainers and technology that controls temperature and the rate of fuel combustion.
Once the raw materials are fused, a viscous paste is formed and the temperature is then lowered to 1100 degrees Celsius. This paste is removed from the oven once it’s solid enough. Then the glass artisan begins to work on the creation. Once the work is done, the glass needs to be set to 500-600 degrees Celsius. The Murano Glass needs to cool slowly or else the tension within the glass can lead to cracking. This slow cooling process uses annealing ovens, where the glass’ temperature can decrease safely.
How are Murano Glass Sculptures made?
The creation of Murano glass sculptures requires a coordinated team. This team consists of 2 to 3 people assisting the glass master to successfully make the piece. One handles the blowpipe. The serventino takes the molten glass from the kiln and rolls it against an iron plate. The servente blows in the pipe to create a balloon with the glass. The glass is then rolled against the iron plate. Symmetry is the key here.
The master focuses work on the glass as quickly as possible with his tools. If the temperature falls below 500 degrees Celsius, the glass immediately becomes rigid and brittle. Any sudden drops in temperature can create unwanted tension in the glass, which inevitably leads to breakage. While working, the glass master lets his team heat up the glass so it can keep its integrity during crafting. When the crafting process is done, the glass sculpture is placed in a kiln with a lower temperature. The temperature is then slowly reduced until it reaches room temperature.
How do you know if your Murano Glass is Authentic?
There are important steps you should take to identify Murano Glass. For any authentic items, it’s much better to look at the item itself and inspect it in real life. Online photos can be deceiving and they can be fabricated. Murano Glass and Sculptures are unique, no two items are the same. It’s obviously factory made if it appears uniform.
Most authentic Murano Glass sculptures or pieces have a certificate of authenticity or necessary documentation. Once it goes through quality control, only then will you able to get the certificate of authenticity. There’s also an engraving of the artisan on the Murano glass piece.
Key Takeaway
Your furniture shop in the Philippines may have Murano Glass and Sculptures. This thousand-year-old art form from Venice can be a staple piece in your home. It’s elegant, beautiful and masterfully crafted. Complete the look of luxury, opulence, and beauty in your home with a lovely Murano Glass Sculpture, which can come in a variety of shapes and sizes. You can’t go wrong with this piece of history and art.
