Paolo Venini 1895–1959

Born in Milan, the entrepreneur and designer Paolo Venini was a law school graduate. From 1921 until he died, he dedicated himself to the workshop he founded, the Vetri Soffiati Muranesi Venini & C. (through 1925, Vetri Soffiati Muranesi Cappellin Venini & C.). A man of marked entrepreneurial talent, his goal from the very beginning was to expand his company’s influence abroad and he sought the collaboration of the most talented artists and architects of his time, employing them as artistic directors of his company. He always worked at the side of his designers with the goal of anticipating and directing taste. He personally checked every collection produced by his furnace. And his confident aesthetic choices, along with the fine quality of the products, assured his workshop both critical and commercial success. He dedicated himself personally to design from the ’30s: his Diamante glass pieces date from 1936, and he created the murrine romane in collaboration with Carlo Scarpa. Following the war, he created bottles with brightly colored stripes, vessels in mosaico zanfirico and mosaico tessuto, glass mosaic windows, and engraved vessels. In collaboration with Bianconi, he created vessels such as the fazzoletti, which are a classic example of the production of the ’50s, and were enormously successful.

Photograph by Luca Vignelli
A murrine
Venini & C., 1959

Paolo Venini A murrineVenini & C., 1959

Bowl crafted with grey and lattimo murrine. The center of the bowl
is composed of turquoise and lattimo murrine.

Paper label: Venini 4880.
1 1/2 in. high x 8 11/16 in. x 5 5/16 in. (3.8 x 22 x 13.5 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:
Venini, grey catalogue, n. 4880;
G. Ponti, 1959;
F. Deboni, 1989, n. 153;
M. Karasik, 1989, n. 33;
A. Venini Diaz de Santillana, 1996, n. 180;
H. Ricke, E. Schmitt, 1996, n. 148;
Olnick Spanu, 2000, n. 97;
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 134.

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.

A murrine
Venini & C., 1959
Photograph by Luca Vignelli
Fazzoletto
Venini & C., ca. 1950

Fulvio Bianconi, Paolo Venini FazzolettoVenini & C., ca. 1950

A handkerchief shaped vessel crafted with zanfirico lattimo canes of glass.

Acid stamped:
venini murano ITALIA.
11 1/4 in. high (28.6 cm)
Exhibitions:
1952, Venice, 26th Biennale Internazionale d’Arte;
2000, New York, Venetian Glass, Museum of Arts & Design;
2001, Milan, Murano: Vetri dalla Collezione Olnick Spanu, Spazio Oberdan.

Bibliography and comparative texts:
Venini, grey catalogue, n. 2986;
Domus, October, 1951, p. 29;
R. Aloi, 1952, n. 29;
G. Ponti, 1959, p. 38;
Mille anni…, 1982, n. 649;
R. Barovier Mentasti, 1982, n. 323;
W. Neuwirth, 1987, n. 75;
R. Bossaglia, 1993, nn. 17, 20;
M. Barovier, 1994, nn. 14, 15;
F. Deboni, 1996, nn. 206, 207;
A. Venini Diaz de Santillana, 1996, nn. 130, 132;
M. Heiremans, 1996, n. 84;
H. Ricke, E. Schmitt, 1996, n. 69;
M. Barovier, 1998 (b), p. 231;
Venini Venezia, 1998, p. 68;
M. Barovier, 1999, p. 231;
Olnick Spanu, 2000, n. 82;
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 117.

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.

Fazzoletto
Venini & C., ca. 1950
Photograph by Luca Vignelli
Fazzoletto
Venini & C., ca. 1950

Fulvio Bianconi, Paolo Venini FazzolettoVenini & C., ca. 1950

A handkerchief shaped vessel crafted with zanfirico lattimo canes of glass.

Acid stamped:
venini murano ITALIA.
11 1/4 in. high (28.6 cm)
Exhibitions:
1952, Venice, 26th Biennale Internazionale d’Arte;
2000, New York, Venetian Glass, Museum of Arts & Design;
2001, Milan, Murano: Vetri dalla Collezione Olnick Spanu, Spazio Oberdan.

Bibliography and comparative texts:
Venini, grey catalogue, nn. 4217, 1158;
Domus, October, 1951, p. 29;
R. Aloi, 1952, n. 29;
G. Ponti, 1959, p. 38;
Mille anni…, 1982, n. 649;
R. Barovier Mentasti, 1982, n. 323;
W. Neuwirth, 1987, n. 75;
R. Bossaglia, 1993, nn. 17, 20;
M. Barovier, 1994, nn. 14, 15;
F. Deboni, 1996, nn. 206, 207;
A. Venini Diaz de Santillana, 1996, nn. 130, 132; M. Heiremans, 1996, n. 84; H. Ricke, E. Schmitt, 1996, n. 69; M. Barovier, 1998 (b), p. 231;
Venini Venezia, 1998, p. 68;
M. Barovier, 1999, p. 231;
Olnick Spanu, 2000, n. 82;
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 116.

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.

Fazzoletto
Venini & C., ca. 1950