Venetian Glass in Paintings
Works of Venetian glass are often painted in the pictures after the Renaissance, so we know when and what sort of Venetian glass was started to be made and used.
Part 1
“Drinking vessel with baluster stem” in “The Marriage at Cana”
“Les Noces de Cana” (1562-63, Oil on canvas, Musee du Louvre) is painted by Paolo Veronese who was active in Venice. Tables are set in the square surrounded by buildings of ancient, where musicians are playing the music, people dressed in gorgeous costumes enjoying the feast.
In the center of this picture, Jesus, the Virgin Mary and his disciples are painted. And in the picture's left-hand corner, we can see that a waiter is holding out a drinking vessel of colorless and transparent glass with simple and graceful stem called "baluster stem".
「中空脚坏」がすでに16世紀に作られはじめ、ヴェネチアン・グラスの人気アイテムとして広く流通していたことが分かります。
Today colorless and transparent glass is made as commonplace in use. But making the colorless and transparent glass was a very difficult technique, and it was the ultimate goal of the glass craftsmen from ancient times.
It was Venetian glass artisans of the late 15th century that succeeedd in making the colorless and transparent glass called "Cristallo" for the first time in history.
And their manufacturing method was to add an appropriate amount of manganese for coloring the red-purple color in order to erase the green and yellow or brown-yellow to color by iron, which is included in the glass raw material.
"Cristallo" of Venetian glass would be colorless transparent when the amount of manganese was best, but it would be a pale purple and pale smoke when there was some increase or decrease. We can see the feature in this “Drinking vessel with baluster stem" clearly.
Part 2
“Goblet with knopped stem “in "The Banquet in House Nani at the Giudecca" by Pietro Longhi Studio
"Nani House Supper" (Pietro Longhi Studio, 1755, Oil on canvas, Ca’ Rezzonico) is the picture that recorded the feast that was actually held in House Nani of Giudecca Island in September 1755.
In the hall decorated with many chandeliers, guests in excess of 100 people are painted. We can know how the dinner of the day was held grandly from luxurious meals and drinks arranged in tables.
One of the attendances dressed in crimson costumes in the foreground, had received in the zany pose a “Goblet with knopped stem “of wine poured from a waiter.
Goblet with knopped stem (17th century) by unknownHakone Venetian Glass Museum
The shape of “Goblet with knopped stem” is designed with the simple hollow ball between the body blown trumpet-shaped and the foot. It is derived from “Calice”, the drinking vessel for pouring red-wine in the ritual of Holy Communion to be celebrated in the Mass of the Catholic Church.
Goblet and cover with colored enamels and gilt (about 1500) by unknownHakone Venetian Glass Museum
“Goblet with knopped stem” of Venetian glass began to be made from the 16th century, and then have been produced almost over a long period of time without changing the design. The drinking vessels have been loved by many people as a multi-function glass that can be used in a variety of beverages, such as water, juice, wine and cocktails.
In the Hakone Venetian Glass Museum, you can appreciate the glass works of the same form but different techniques and sizes, addition of this " Goblet with knopped stem " , " Goblet and cover with colored enamels and gilt " (1500 circa , blowing, enameled and gild ) and so on.
It is a method of enjoying our museum to re-confirm the history of the Venetian glass focusing on type or design of the vessel.
Production Date：2015/07/13
Hakone Venetian Glass Museum
Director： Masataka Iwata
Text & Editor： Yasuhiro Yanai
Designer： Nazuna Ishii
