Glassware and Murano

Carlo Scarpa and traditional Venetian materials: a perfect combination of reinterpretation and innovation.

When speaking of Carlo Scarpa, one cannot ignore his extraordinary contribution to the art of glass. Between 1932 and 1947, Paolo Venini entrusted him with the artistic direction of the famous Murano glassworks, giving him carte blanche to explore and innovate.

Here, Scarpa skilfully blends his craftsmanship soul with an experimental spirit, pushing the boundaries of glass design as never before.

An iconic example of his style, the lamps for the Library: 20 opaque white glass cylinders by Venini, introduced by Scarpa in a historical setting, combining modernity and refinement with period stucco and furnishings.

Placed directly on the tables, the lamps provide direct but gentle light, perfect for those studying. Even today, they illuminate eight reading rooms on the first floor, testifying to the durability and timeless elegance of its design.

The obsessive attention to detail, which characterises all of Scarpa's work, has its roots in his early experiences as a designer and art consultant in Murano.

His entry into the Venini glassworks marked the beginning of a revolution: already in 1932 he created the first “Submerged” vases, but it was in 1940 that the turning point came.

Together with Paolo Venini, he presented a series of innovative new techniques at the Venice Biennale and the Milan Triennale: reinterpreted wrought, woven, granular and murrine.