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More than two millennia ago, the Roman Empire first gave the world the innovative technology of glassmaking, which enabled the manufacturing of various sized, one-piece vases, vessels and containers. Although still in primitive form, glass would evolve over the ages into a multifunctional and versatile material, capable of embodying both exquisite works of art and practical designs, built exclusively for utilitarian purposes. However, it would take many centuries for the craft of glass to become a form of art in its own right and people everywhere to enjoy the beauty of jewelry as Murano glass necklaces, beads, rings, earrings and pendants. Glassmaking suffered a short-lived decline after the fall of the Roman Empire, but thanks to the dedication and passion of Murano and Venetian master glassmakers, the craft of glassmaking was pushed onto the highest peaks of glory. Glassmaking became an accredited craft by the beginning of the 12th century, and another century later, it had a strict set of laws and regulations. Starting with 1292, Italian glassmaking would begin a new era, marked by great achievements and triumph, but also by the harshness of the measures put into effect to contain and control it. Banished by government authorities under ambiguous pretexts, within a few years all Venetian glassmakers saw themselves forced to leave the peninsula and relocate onto the Island of Murano, where they soon became a unified community of elite glass artisans. While life was getting increasingly rougher on the island for the exiled tamers of the glass, and they could do nothing but witness how they were being deprived by many of their rights and liberties, Venice and all of Italy were thriving and for a while, they were even getting all the credit for these people’s hard work. However, without any influences from the outside and having the right working conditions on the Island of Murano, glassmakers here focused entirely onto the craft of the glass and became famous for innovative techniques such as cristallo and lattimo, which are still being used in modern day to produce Murano glass necklaces and other handmade jewelry. Cristallo glass refers to a perfectly clear assortment of glass that is easily shapeable when hot, but also renowned for cooling very quickly, which trait enables artisans to work it into very delicate designs. Also known as milk glass, lattimo on the other hand is a completely opaque type of glass that is often used for creating decorative pieces in combination with the Cristallo technique. Nowadays as much as ever, the frontline technique in Murano glassmaking is Lampworking, and when employing it, most artisans favor Italian glass rods over tools of other provenience. Manufactured in the Italian factory of Effetre, Millefiori glass rods are recognized as some of the best means of doing touch up work and adding fine and intricate details to handmade jewelry. At present, the infamous Isle of Murano still acts as Italy’s main production centre for handcrafted Murano glass jewelry and an important source of tradition and ancient history for the country. For these reasons, the small Murano region attracts thousands of tourists each year, seduced by the chance to visit the ancient glass workshops on the island and to assist at live glassmaking demonstrations.
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Murano, glass, necklace,
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