Murrine is the Italian term which refers to the multi-colored, cross cut segments of cane (stretched glass rods) that reveal minuscule concentric, geometric or figurative designs of varying contour, color and complexity. The graphic term “millefiori”, or thousand flowers, refers more specifically to these segments of murrine which draw inspiration from floral patterns, and have frequently been used, for example, in decorating paper weights. The word “tessere” refers to quadrangular segments. The more simple sticks of cane are made by shaping a thick glass cylinder comprised of wide bands of different colored glass, which are stretched, rolled and shaped hot on the marver at the end of a punty iron. This cylinder of layered colors is then reheated and another punty iron is attached to the other end allowing the cane to be pulled simultaneously in opposite directions until the desired diameter is achieved. More elaborate cane requires the use of various molds of different shapes and sizes. To create a “millefiori” motif, for example, the glassmaker gathers a first parison and presses it into an open conical mold thereby forming the core of the future cane. After removing the core from the first mold, the glassmaker then surrounds it with another gather of glass and again presses the parison into a larger mold of slightly different proportions. This process is repeated several times using increasingly larger molds of varying shapes. In the end, the whole bundle is reheated, marvered then stretched out using the two punty iron technique described above producing pulled cane up to several meters long. This cane will then be cut up into murrines.

Already in ancient times, Roman glassmakers had invented a technique for creating mosaics with cross cut segments of glass rod, which were then fused and shaped into a support, giving rise to work that continues to fascinate to this day. Centuries later, Italian Renaissance glassmakers of the late XVth century inspired by the aesthetic qualities of these ancient glass mosaics developed a new decorative technique. As with filigree glass, this technique is practiced hot; it consists of picking up murrines from a ceramic support and embedding them into a parison of clear or monochrome glass. Already on a blowpipe, the parison is then blown and shaped to create the desired form. In the wake of archeological discoveries of the XIXth century, the master glassmaker Vincenzo Moretti working for la compagnia di Venezia e Murano restored this technique to its rightful place of honor in the late 1870’s, followed by Guiseppe Barovier. Also, one must not overlook the XXth century masterpieces of Umberto Belloto, who, working for Artisti Barovier in the 1920’s produced beautifully refined objects in brilliant polychrome. The “vetro a murrine” remains an unrivalled artistic tradition of the Venetian glassmakers, as later shown by Ercole Barovier or Renato Toso in the years following World War II.

Still today, Venetian artists such as Massimo Nordio or Cristiano Bianchin carry on the tradition of their ancestors, generating extremely seductive and sophisticated work. The Japanese artist Yoichi Ohira, adopted by the Venetians, collaborates with Murano’s maestro Carlo Tosi. Ohira himself composes his murrines creating pieces that combine the elegant simplicity of the classic Venetian tradition with the formal aesthetic of Japan. The American Richard Marquis has grabbed hold of this venerable technique with characteristic fire and spirit, exceptional freedom, and a zest for playful folly.

DORIGATO Attlia, “Murano glass Museum”, Edizioni Electa, Milano,1986 BAROVIER Marina, DORIGATO Attilia, “Il vetro di Murano alle biennali 1895-1972”, Leonardo Arte, Milano,1995 DORIGATO Attilia, KLEIN Dan, “ International New Glass”, Arsenale Editrice, Venise,1996 KLEIN Dan, “Artists in glass”,Beazley Mitchell, Londres, 2001