Ercole Barovier 1889–1974

Entrepreneur and designer Ercole Barovier was the son of Benvenuto Barovier. At age 30, he became a partner in his father’s company, the Vetreria Artistica Barovier & C. After becoming its artistic director in 1926, he took over its management with his brother. He became sole proprietor in 1936, engineering the fusion between his own glass workshop and the S.A.I.A.R. Ferro-Toso. In 1942, the new company was renamed Barovier & Toso and Ercole maintained artistic direction until 1972. His first major successes date back to the ’20s; first with the murrine vessels, then with totally original creations such as the Primavera glass collection of 1929-30. After the 30s, he dedicated himself entirely to experimenting with new multi-colored effects. In addition he perfected the colorazione a caldo senza fusione which he first used in 1935-36 to create the series Crepuscolo, Autunno Gemmato, Marina Gemmata, and Laguna Gemmata. Before World War II, he preferred soft shapes and rather thick materials, whereas in the postwar period his interest turned specifically to the field of traditional techniques, which he continued to reinterpret through his very last creations with the series A Tessere in 1972. In the ’50s, his work distinguished itself, both for the vivid quality of its colors as well as for the singularity of the materials noted for the rawness of their surfaces like the barbarici. During the ’60s and ’70s, he gave new interpretations of his a tessere glass with the Dorici, Caccia, Rotellati, and other series, which were characterized by unusual color combinations.

Photograph by Luca Vignelli
Avventurina
Vetreria Artistica Barovier, 1929-1930

Ercole Barovier AvventurinaVetreria Artistica Barovier, 1929-1930

Avventurina glass vase. Applied double-curved cristallo glass handles decorated a morise.
The vase is a variation of a model found in the primavera glass series.

11 5/8 in. (29.5 cm)
11 3/8″ high (29 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. Dorigato, 1989, n. 20;
F. Deboni, 1996, p. 30;
Olnick Spanu, 2000, n. 6;
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 8.

Vetreria Artistica Barovier  1919–1936

In 1919, Artisti Barovier changed its name to Vetreria Artistica Barovier and several new partners were added. Among them were Ercole Barovier and Nicolò Barovier, Benvenuto Barovier's sons, and Giuseppe Barovier's son Napoleone. In 1926, Ercole and Nicolò Barovier took over the management of the company and both became artistic directors, creating, among other things, sophisticated multicolored vessels a murrine and singular animals in blown glass. After 1932, Nicolò and Ercole Barovier became sole proprietors of the company. Ercole designed many objects that earned the company remarkable success, among them the Primavera series.

A tireless creator of new collections and glass textures, Ercole Barovier dedicated himself to perfecting the colorazione a caldo senza fusione, which he began using during the second half of the '30s. In 1936, after the separation from his brother Nicolò, Ercole Barovier became partner of the S.A.I.A.R. Ferro Toso, forming Ferro Toso e Barovier.

Avventurina
Vetreria Artistica Barovier, 1929-1930
Photograph by Luca Vignelli
A murrine
Vetreria Artistica Barovier, 1927

Ercole Barovier A murrineVetreria Artistica Barovier, 1927

An amethyst vase decorated with circular red and avventurina murrine set in groups of three.
7 1/4 in. high (18.5 cm)
Exhibitions:
1952, Venice, 26th Biennale Internazionale d’Arte, Historic exhibition of Murano glass;
2000, New York, Venetian Glass, Museum of Arts & Design;
2001, Milan, Murano: Vetri dalla Collezione Olnick Spanu, Spazio Oberdan.

Bibliography and comparative texts:
Gasparetto, 1960, n. 3;
Mostra del Vetro…, 1984, n. 126;
A. Dorigato, 1989, n. 7;
M. Barovier, 1993, n. 79;
M. Barovier, 1999, p. 103;
Olnick Spanu, 2000, n. 5;
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 7.

Vetreria Artistica Barovier  1919–1936

In 1919, Artisti Barovier changed its name to Vetreria Artistica Barovier and several new partners were added. Among them were Ercole Barovier and Nicolò Barovier, Benvenuto Barovier's sons, and Giuseppe Barovier's son Napoleone. In 1926, Ercole and Nicolò Barovier took over the management of the company and both became artistic directors, creating, among other things, sophisticated multicolored vessels a murrine and singular animals in blown glass. After 1932, Nicolò and Ercole Barovier became sole proprietors of the company. Ercole designed many objects that earned the company remarkable success, among them the Primavera series.

A tireless creator of new collections and glass textures, Ercole Barovier dedicated himself to perfecting the colorazione a caldo senza fusione, which he began using during the second half of the '30s. In 1936, after the separation from his brother Nicolò, Ercole Barovier became partner of the S.A.I.A.R. Ferro Toso, forming Ferro Toso e Barovier.

A murrine
Vetreria Artistica Barovier, 1927