Glass

The long Venetian tradition and the superiority of its artistic and technical treatment in the production of glass had a lot of impact on the whole of Europe in the 17th century. Many European rulers founded glassworks, and brought along Venetian craftsmen to make glass for them à la fačon de Venise, as well as to teach local artisans. In the beginning the European works imitated the Venetian patterns, but gradually developed individual features. Many of them produced excellent pieces, which can sometimes be distinguished form real Murano glass only with great difficulty. The winged glass made in the Venetian fashion illustrates how the virtuosity of making characteristic of Venetian glassworks has been master, but it also possesses features typical of the glassworks of northern Europe (proportions thickness of glass, manner of decoration...). This glass stands on a tall stem, the central part of which is richly decorated in the form of an interwoven cord of threaded glass and wings with a reticular relief surface. The bowl itself is entirely smooth, has small dimensions and is funnel shaped. Such glasses were known in Italy as vetri a serpenti and were much admired in the 17th century. Venetian “soda” or “soft” glass was ideal for such curving forms, which are often met with in the decorative art of the Baroque.