![Lino Tagliapietra (born 1934), large vase [detail], Lino Tagliapietra, 2000. Photo © Della Rocca](https://images.prismic.io/barnebys/d6b0fc3b-0fe0-4c94-b4c4-815ed55a5d9a_bac83a65-51b0-4801-bd6d-4281ff6d9de7_DellaRoccaTitel.png.jpeg?auto=format,compress)
On 21 December, the Italian auction house Della Rocca is holding a major sale of 20th-century glass art from the Venetian island of Murano. Murano has long been famous for the number and high-quality creations of its glassworks, and the auction includes major artisans such as Ettore Sottsass, Ercole Barovier and Carlo Scarpa.
Although the ancient Romans had mastered the art of glassmaking, the tradition was lost in Europe during the Migration Period after the fall of the Roman Empire, only to return in the 9th century in Venice.
After the art of glassmaking was already well-established in Venice, the glass furnaces were outlawed from the city in 1295 for fear of fire and relocated to the nearby island of Murano. Around this time the glassmaker Jacobello Barovier was born, and his astounding family legacy has ensured that the name 'Barovier' still stands for the highest-calibre glass art.
When the once-powerful Republic of Venice dissolved in the Napoleonic era, business slowed down on the island of Murano. This only changed in 1866 with the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy, and families like the Baroviers were again highly sought after. The legacy continued with the particularly talented Ercole Barovier, born in 1889, who has a total of 15 pieces in the sale.
In 1936, Ercole Barovier merged with a side branch of the Vetreria Fratelli Toso founded in 1854, created the esteemed Barovier & Toso. Another member of the Toso family, Aureliano, founded the Vetreria Artistica Aureliano Toso two years later, and made the painter and designer Dino Martens the artistic director for many years.
Another glamorous name that should not be missing in a prestigious Murano auction is Venini. In 1921 the company was founded as Cappellin-Venini & Co. by the lawyer Paolo Venini and the antiques dealer Giacomo Cappelin, but after only four years they went their separate ways.
From the beginning, Paolo Venini relied on innovation and on fruitful cooperation with other creative minds. Architect Tomaso Buzzi, artist Carlo Scarpa, ceramist Tyra Lundgren, painter Ken Scott and designer Fulvio Bianconi are just a few of the big names who created outstanding glass art for Venini up until the late 1950s, and each is represented during the auction.
After Paolo Venini's death, his son-in-law, the architect Ludovico Diaz de Santillana, took over the company. He continued collaborating with highly talented artists and designers, such as Tobia Scarpa, Tapio Wirkalla, Alessandro Mendini, Gae Aulenti and Ettore Sottsass.
Paolo Venini's grandson, the artist Alessandro Diaz de Santillana, also created glass art for his grandfather's company. One colourful vase from his Scozzesi series appears during the sale, representing the continued artistic brilliance of the family.
The Murano Glass sale consists of 147 lots and will commence on 21 December at Della Rocca. The entire catalogue is available online, and pre-registration for live virtual bidding during the sale has opened.
