The first Murano glass chandeliers to be produced by Venetian glassmakers
date back around the year 1700.
Since the early 13th century venetian glass was widely appreciated as the
most beautiful and purest glass existing and since that time glassmakers
had always made beautiful works of art using their unique glass.
In the 18th century they finally used it to introduce new products such as
glass mirrors and chandeliers.
In history these glass chandeliers became popular after the iron, wood
and brass era of chandeliers, and they were such a success that instantly
brought chandeliers to a new dimension.
Murano glass production in the 18th century found infact a new energy to
contrast the emerging competing manufacturers that started to spread on
the market such as crystal from Bohemia.
Bohemiens and Venetian glassmakers were both masters in the art of making
chandeliers. Bohemian style was largely successfull across Europe and
was popular in some parts of Italy too. Its biggest draw was the chance
to obtain spectacular light refraction due to facets and bevels of crystal
prisms.
As a reaction to this new taste Murano glass factories created new kinds
of artistic light sources.
The earliest example of a Murano glass chandelier was produced specifically
for Frederick IV of Denmark that still hangs in his palace today. The
King travelled to Murano in 1709 to acquire the chandelier that appears in
his inventory by 1718 along with other Venetian glass works.
Since Murano glass was not suitable for faceting, typical work realized at
the time in other countries where crystal was used, venetian glassmakers
relied upon the unique qualities of their glass.
Typical features of a Murano chandelier are the intricate arabeques of
leaves, flowers and fruits that would be enriched by coloured glass, made
possible by the specific type of glass used in Murano.
This glass they worked with was so unique, as it was soda glass (famed for
its extraordinary lightness) and was a complete contrast to all different
types of glass produced in the world at that time. An incredible amount of
skill and time was required to precisely twist and shape a chandelier.
This new type of chandelier was called "ciocca", literally bouquet of flowers,
for the characteristic decorations of glazed polychrome flowers.
The most sumptuous of them consisted of a metal frame covered with
small elements in blown glass, transparent or colored, with decorations
of flowers, fruits and leaves, while simpler model had arms made with a
unique piece of glass.
Their shape was inspired by an original architectural concept: the space on
the inside is left almost empty since decorations are spread all around the
central support, distanced from it by the length of the arms.
One of the common use of the huge Murano Chandeliers was the interior
lighting of theatres and rooms in important palaces.
Giuseppe Briati was the most famous producer of these chandeliers.
GIUSEPPE BRIATI AND THE REZZONICO CHANDELIER.
Giuseppe Briati was a famous Venetian glassmaker who focused his work
on the creation of what are now recognised as the typical Murano chandeliers
with multiple arms decorated with garlands, flowers and leaves, called
"ciocche".
Born on the island of Murano in 1686 from a family of glassmakers he
apparently had the chance to work in a Bohemian glass factory, where he
learned the secrets of working the crystal, that at the time was taking over
venetian glass leadership on the european market.
Briati contributed significantly to improve the fortunes of the Venetian
glass, which after having experienced a period of success, was heavily decayed.
His furnace became famous for the production of Bohemian inspired
glass with a twist of eccentricity, that through colors and decorations gave
them the look of triumph of polychrome flowers.
Despite stiff opposition from his fellow citizen, Briati also introduced a
glass production with a chemical composition similar to that of Bohemia
in the attempt to fight the competition, without diminishing his works to
mere imitation.
Giuseppe Briati created what it's now called Rezzonico Chandelier, whose
name derive from the first chandelier of its kind, that represents the classic
Murano chandelier. It was designed by Briati for the noble venetian family
Rezzonico and hung in their palace along the Grand Canal, now famed
venetian museum under the name "Ca' Rezzonico".
This kind of chandelier, completely realized by hand, required a particular
working by the glassmakers due to the arms being formed by many small
pieces of glass. Every shape of glass had to be masterly executed because
any outsize piece wouldn't fit to be mounted between the others.
Rezzonico chandelier is an example of the ability of the italian craftmanship
to adapt to changes and to offer new and innovative solutions to the
mutation of architectural needs.