Alessandro Diaz de Santillana 1959–

Born in Paris of Venetian origin, Alessandro Diaz de Santillana graduated in Art History at the Università di Venezia in 1981. At Venini & C., founded by his grandfather, Paolo Venini, and managed by his father, Ludovico Diaz de Santillana, he had the opportunity to meet many artists from the American Studio Glass movement who worked at the furnace thanks to the openness and generosity of the artistic director. He collaborated with Venini & C. through 1985, and later with Rosenthal and Eos. He has been exhibiting since 1985, after choosing to progressively dedicate himself to his own personal artistic development and to the creation of original works.

Photograph by Luca Vignelli
Coccio
Venini & C., 1984

Alessandro Diaz de Santillana CoccioVenini & C., 1984

A white vase composed of lattimo murrine decorated with an abstract pattern of black glass and finished with the applications of gold leaf.

7 in. high (17.8 cm)
Exhibitions:
2000, New York, Venetian Glass, Museum of Arts & Design;
2001, Milan, Murano: Vetri dalla Collezione Olnick Spanu, Spazio Oberdan.

Bibliography and comparative texts:
A. Venini Diaz de Santillana, 1996, n. 261;
Venini Venezia, 1998, p. 79;
A. Venini Diaz de Santillana, 2000, n. 267;
Olnick Spanu, 2000, n. 152;
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 190.

Venini & C.  1932–2001

In 1932, when both Martinuzzi and Zecchin left the company, Paolo Venini changed the name from Vetri Soffiati Muranesi Venini & Co. (V.S.M. Venini & Co.) to Venini & C.. Milanese architect Tommaso Buzzi became the new artistic director.

After 1934, artistic direction was taken on by Carlo Scarpa, who designed most of the company's production through 1947. Side by side with Venini, who often intervened personally in design, Scarpa created numerous collections of objects characterized by refined colors. After World War II, Venini & C. sought numerous collaborations with artists such as architect Giò Ponti and the Swedish-born Tyra Lundgren. After 1948, Fulvio Bianconi, Massimo Vignelli, and Tobia Scarpa contributed significantly to the new direction of the company.

Paolo Venini died in 1959 and his son-in-law, Ludovico Diaz de Santillana, took over the management of Venini & C. He not only worked personally as a glass designer but also continued the collaboration started by Paolo Venini with various artists and designers. Starting in 1960, many other designers collaborated with the company, like Thomas Stearns, Toni Zuccheri, Tapio Wirkkala, Laura and Alessandro Diaz de Santillana, James Carpenter, Dan Dailey, Richard Marquis, Benjamin Moore, and Toots Zynsky. In 1986, the de Santillana family left the company, selling their stock to the Ferruzzi group, which guaranteed the fine quality Venini was known for by hiring new designers such as Timo Sarpaneva, Marco Zanini, Ettore Sottsass Jr., Alessandro Mendini, Mario Bellini, Barbara del Vicario, and others.

In 1988, Venini was acquired by Royal Scandinavian. Since 2001, Venini S.p.A. has been part of Italian Luxury Industries Group and is led by Giancarlo Chimento, Giuliano Tabacchi, and Giorgio Rizzo.

Coccio
Venini & C., 1984