Photograph by Luca Vignelli

Carlo ScarpaFenicio, 1930-1931

Carlo ScarpaFenicioMaestri Vetrai Muranesi Cappellin & C., 1930-1931

Lattimo vase cased in transparent straw-colored glass with blue
decoro fenicio.

Acid stamped: M.V.M. Cappellin Murano.
6 1/2 in. high (16.5 cm)
Exhibitions:
1964, Venice, 32nd Biennale Internazionale d’Arte, Exhibition of
the Decorative Arts of the Venetian Territory;
2000, New York, Venetian Glass, Museum of Arts & Design;
2001, Milan, Murano: Vetri dalla Collezione Olnick Spanu, Spazio Oberdan.

Bibliography and comparative texts:
Domus, 1930, January, p. 38;
M. Barovier, 1991, nn. 3, 4;
R. Barovier Mentasti, 1992, n. 62;
L’arte del vetro…, 1992, p. 243;
H. Newman, 1993, p. 145;
Glas Band II, 1995, p. 232;
M. Heiremans, 1996, n. 32;
F. Deboni, 1996, n. 66;
M. Barovier, 1997, p. 195;
M. Barovier, 1998 (b), pp. 8, 9;
Olnick Spanu, 2000, n. 24;
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 38.

Carlo Scarpa  1906–1978

Born in Venice, Carlo Scarpa graduated from the Accademia di Belle Arti in Venice in 1926. Soon after his graduation he began work at M.V.M. Cappellin, where he soon replaced Vittorio Zecchin as artistic director. Following the direction laid down by Zecchin, he initially created transparent blown-glass pieces with essential forms, in particular the pieces exemplified by their conic base. Scarpa later designed light glass pieces in brightly colored pasta vitrea, or decorated fenici. Deservedly famous was the refined collection of lattimi decorated with gold or silver leaf, which he presented for the first time in Monza in 1930 together with the canne verticali and millefiori glass works. Giacomo Cappellin closed the workshop in 1932 for bankruptcy, putting an end to the collaboration with Carlo Scarpa. In 1934, Scarpa became the artistic director of Venini & C., where he continued to work through 1947. Alongside Paolo Venini, who often participated in the design of glass, Carlo Scarpa experimented with the vast potential of glass, using and innovating many traditional techniques, by which he created extraordinary modern pieces. After the mezza filigrana glass works came the sommersi, the pasta vitrea inspired by Chinese ceramic motifs, the corrosi, the battuti, the vessels a fasce colorate, a pennellate, the variegati, and the famous multicolored murrine with the surfaces finished at the carving wheel. After World War II, Carlo Scarpa worked almost exclusively as an architect and teacher.

Maestri Vetrai Muranesi Cappellin & C.  1925–1932

M.V.M. Cappellin & C. was founded in 1925 by Giacomo Cappellin after the closing of Cappellin Venini & C. Vittorio Zecchin, a painter from Murano who had worked for Cappellin Venini, continued his collaboration with Cappellin for a short time, designing soffiati, blown glass pieces characterized by delicate colors and pure lines. At the end of 1926, following Zecchin's departure, the young Carlo Scarpa took over the artistic direction of the company. Initially, he proceeded along the course taken by his predecessor, creating lightweight blown pieces with simple geometric forms. These were followed by many collections of refined elegance characterized by various transparent textures and often distinguished by vivid colors. Despite the remarkable success at the 1930 Biennale di Monza, M.V.M. Cappellin & C. was forced to close in January 1932. This was most likely the result of inefficient financial management.

Carlo ScarpaFenicio, 1930-1931

Photograph by Luca Vignelli

Carlo ScarpaFenicio, 1928-1929

Carlo ScarpaFenicioMaestri Vetrai Muranesi Cappellin & C., 1928-1929

Vase in lattimo glass with fenicio decoration in amethyst glass, and applications of gold leaf.

6 1/2 in. high (16.5 cm)

Exhibitions:
2001, Milan, Murano: Vetri dalla Collezione Olnick Spanu, Spazio Oberdan.

Bibliography and comparative texts:
Domus, 1930, January, p. 38;
M. Barovier, 1991, nn. 3, 4;
R. Barovier Mentasti, 1992, n. 62;
L’arte del vetro…, 1992, p. 243;
H. Newman, 1993, p. 145;
Glas Band II, 1995, p. 232;
M. Heiremans, 1996, n. 32;
F. Deboni, 1996, n. 66;
M. Barovier, 1997, p. 195;
M. Barovier, 1998, pp. 8, 9;
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 39.

Carlo Scarpa  1906–1978

Born in Venice, Carlo Scarpa graduated from the Accademia di Belle Arti in Venice in 1926. Soon after his graduation he began work at M.V.M. Cappellin, where he soon replaced Vittorio Zecchin as artistic director. Following the direction laid down by Zecchin, he initially created transparent blown-glass pieces with essential forms, in particular the pieces exemplified by their conic base. Scarpa later designed light glass pieces in brightly colored pasta vitrea, or decorated fenici. Deservedly famous was the refined collection of lattimi decorated with gold or silver leaf, which he presented for the first time in Monza in 1930 together with the canne verticali and millefiori glass works. Giacomo Cappellin closed the workshop in 1932 for bankruptcy, putting an end to the collaboration with Carlo Scarpa. In 1934, Scarpa became the artistic director of Venini & C., where he continued to work through 1947. Alongside Paolo Venini, who often participated in the design of glass, Carlo Scarpa experimented with the vast potential of glass, using and innovating many traditional techniques, by which he created extraordinary modern pieces. After the mezza filigrana glass works came the sommersi, the pasta vitrea inspired by Chinese ceramic motifs, the corrosi, the battuti, the vessels a fasce colorate, a pennellate, the variegati, and the famous multicolored murrine with the surfaces finished at the carving wheel. After World War II, Carlo Scarpa worked almost exclusively as an architect and teacher.

Maestri Vetrai Muranesi Cappellin & C.  1925–1932

M.V.M. Cappellin & C. was founded in 1925 by Giacomo Cappellin after the closing of Cappellin Venini & C. Vittorio Zecchin, a painter from Murano who had worked for Cappellin Venini, continued his collaboration with Cappellin for a short time, designing soffiati, blown glass pieces characterized by delicate colors and pure lines. At the end of 1926, following Zecchin's departure, the young Carlo Scarpa took over the artistic direction of the company. Initially, he proceeded along the course taken by his predecessor, creating lightweight blown pieces with simple geometric forms. These were followed by many collections of refined elegance characterized by various transparent textures and often distinguished by vivid colors. Despite the remarkable success at the 1930 Biennale di Monza, M.V.M. Cappellin & C. was forced to close in January 1932. This was most likely the result of inefficient financial management.

Carlo ScarpaFenicio, 1928-1929

Photograph by Luca Vignelli

Artisti BarovierA murrine, ca. 1914

A murrineArtisti Barovier, ca. 1914

Footed bowl crafted from multicolored glass canes and murrine. Tall ribbed foot in blue trasparente glass. This vessel is part of a limited series of one-of-a-kind pieces made by Artisti Barovier for Salviati.

Acid stamped: Salviati Murano.
11 3/8 in. high (29 cm)
Exhibitions:
2001, Milan, Murano: Vetri dalla Collezione Olnick Spanu,
Spazio Oberdan.

Bibliography and comparative texts:
Antonio Salviati…, 1982, n. 77;
Vetro di Murano…, 1982, n. 99; Mostra del vetro…, 1984, n. 107;
C. Cerutti, 1985, p. 61;
I. De Guttry, M.P. Maino,
M. Quesada, 1985, n. 7;
Gli anni di…, 1987, nn. 19, 36;
M. Barovier, 1993, nn. 35-42;
M. Heiremans, 1993, nn. 30, 31;
M. Barovier, 1994, n. 2;
F. Deboni, 1996, n. 21;
M. Barovier, 2001, p. 277
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 2.

Artisti Barovier  1890–1919

Giovanni Barovier and his nephews Giuseppe, Benvenuto, and Benedetto worked as glassblowers at the Salviati dott. Antonio furnace, founded in 1877. In 1884, after Salviati's departure, they acquired ownership of the company. On the basis of an agreement signed with Salviati, the company maintained its original name until Salviati's death in 1890. It then changed its name to Artisti Barovier. Under the guidance of Benvenuto and Giuseppe, the company reproduced the classical themes of nineteenth-century glass and soon achieved fame for the refinement of its production. Works executed later, particularly a murrine, were inspired by floral themes. The Artisti Barovier took several of these pieces to different exhibitions, including the Cà Pesaro (1908, 1909, 1913), where pieces designed by Zecchin and Wolf-Ferrari were also shown. During World War I, the furnace was temporarily moved to Livorno in Tuscany. In 1919, the company name was changed 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.

Artisti BarovierA murrine, ca. 1914

Photograph by Luca Vignelli

Carlo ScarpaPasta vitrea; Fenicio, 1928-1931

Carlo ScarpaPasta vitrea; FenicioMaestri Vetrai Muranesi Cappellin & C., 1928-1931

Green pasta vitrea vase.
Black pasta vitrea globular vase with a green fenicio decoration on a conic foot. Both vases decorated with gold leaf applications.

Both acid stamped: M.V.M. Cappellin Murano.
6 1/2 in. high (16.5 cm)
6 1/4 in. high (15.9 cm)
Exhibitions:
1964, Venice, 32nd Biennale Internazionale d’Arte, Exhibition of
the Decorative Arts of the Venetian Territory;
2000, New York, Venetian Glass, Museum of Arts & Design;
2001, Milan, Murano: Vetri dalla Collezione Olnick Spanu, Spazio Oberdan.

Bibliography and comparative texts:
M.V.M. Catalogue, n. 5911;
Domus, 1930, January p. 38;
Mostra di vetri…, 1931, pp. 22, 23;
Venezianisches Glas…, 1981, p. 64;
Murano Glass…, 1982, n. 122;
Mostra del vetro…, 1984, p. 83;
M. Karasik, 1989, n. 4;
M. Barovier, 1991, nn. 1, 2;
M. Barovier, 1997, p. 194;
M. Barovier, 1998(b), pp. 7, 8, 9;
M. Barovier, 1999, p. 141;
Olnick Spanu, 2000, n. 25;
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 40;

Carlo Scarpa  1906–1978

Born in Venice, Carlo Scarpa graduated from the Accademia di Belle Arti in Venice in 1926. Soon after his graduation he began work at M.V.M. Cappellin, where he soon replaced Vittorio Zecchin as artistic director. Following the direction laid down by Zecchin, he initially created transparent blown-glass pieces with essential forms, in particular the pieces exemplified by their conic base. Scarpa later designed light glass pieces in brightly colored pasta vitrea, or decorated fenici. Deservedly famous was the refined collection of lattimi decorated with gold or silver leaf, which he presented for the first time in Monza in 1930 together with the canne verticali and millefiori glass works. Giacomo Cappellin closed the workshop in 1932 for bankruptcy, putting an end to the collaboration with Carlo Scarpa. In 1934, Scarpa became the artistic director of Venini & C., where he continued to work through 1947. Alongside Paolo Venini, who often participated in the design of glass, Carlo Scarpa experimented with the vast potential of glass, using and innovating many traditional techniques, by which he created extraordinary modern pieces. After the mezza filigrana glass works came the sommersi, the pasta vitrea inspired by Chinese ceramic motifs, the corrosi, the battuti, the vessels a fasce colorate, a pennellate, the variegati, and the famous multicolored murrine with the surfaces finished at the carving wheel. After World War II, Carlo Scarpa worked almost exclusively as an architect and teacher.

Maestri Vetrai Muranesi Cappellin & C.  1925–1932

M.V.M. Cappellin & C. was founded in 1925 by Giacomo Cappellin after the closing of Cappellin Venini & C. Vittorio Zecchin, a painter from Murano who had worked for Cappellin Venini, continued his collaboration with Cappellin for a short time, designing soffiati, blown glass pieces characterized by delicate colors and pure lines. At the end of 1926, following Zecchin's departure, the young Carlo Scarpa took over the artistic direction of the company. Initially, he proceeded along the course taken by his predecessor, creating lightweight blown pieces with simple geometric forms. These were followed by many collections of refined elegance characterized by various transparent textures and often distinguished by vivid colors. Despite the remarkable success at the 1930 Biennale di Monza, M.V.M. Cappellin & C. was forced to close in January 1932. This was most likely the result of inefficient financial management.

Carlo ScarpaPasta vitrea; Fenicio, 1928-1931

Photograph by Luca Vignelli

Benvenuto BarovierFloreale a murrine, 1913-1914

Benvenuto BarovierFloreale a murrineArtisti Barovier, 1913-1914

Vetro mosaico vase composed of multicolored patches of translucent glass tessere set to form a floral pattern. Several vases in vetro mosaico were presented by the Artisti Barovier at the Ca’ Pesaro show in 1913. At this exhibition the Artisti Barovier shared a room, dedicated exclusively to glass, with the painter Vittorio Zecchin, who also designed vessels and tiles using the murrine technique.
Signed with a glass murrina bearing the initials AB, above which rises a crown.
7 7/8 in. high (20 cm)

Exhibitions:
1913, Venice, Ca’ Pesaro
(?);
1914, Venice, 11th 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:
Catalogue of the Esposizione di Estate, 1920, p. 1;
M. Barovier, 1993, nn. 32, 48;
M. Barovier, R. Barovier Mentasti,
A. Dorigato 1995, n. 9;
M. Heiremans, 1996, n. 5;
R. Reif, New York Times, 2000, p. 39;
Olnick Spanu, 2000, n. 1;
Olnick Spanu, 2001, n. 3.

Benvenuto Barovier  1855–1932

Maestro and designer Benvenuto Barovier first worked as a glassblower for a company called Compagnia di Venezia e Murano (C.V.M.) where he was noted for his remarkable manual skills. In 1877, he and his brother Giuseppe were invited by Antonio Salviati to collaborate in his new furnace called Salviati dott. Antonio. When Salviati retired from the business of production in 1883, Benvenuto and Giuseppe bought the company where they worked as glassblowers and designers, eventually renaming it Artisti Barovier after Salviati's death in 1890. Among Benvenuto's many creations are some extraordinary pieces made in mosaico glass. Apart from the significant technical quality of these objects, one can perceive the passionate experimentation carried out by the maestro from Murano, who frequently used crushed glass to decorate his pieces. He and his brother received widespread critical acclaim at several exhibitions that took place at Cà Pesaro. After the transformation of the company into Vetreria Artistica Barovier & C. (1919), Benvenuto Barovier continued to participate actively in the furnace.

Artisti Barovier  1890–1919

Giovanni Barovier and his nephews Giuseppe, Benvenuto, and Benedetto worked as glassblowers at the Salviati dott. Antonio furnace, founded in 1877. In 1884, after Salviati's departure, they acquired ownership of the company. On the basis of an agreement signed with Salviati, the company maintained its original name until Salviati's death in 1890. It then changed its name to Artisti Barovier. Under the guidance of Benvenuto and Giuseppe, the company reproduced the classical themes of nineteenth-century glass and soon achieved fame for the refinement of its production. Works executed later, particularly a murrine, were inspired by floral themes. The Artisti Barovier took several of these pieces to different exhibitions, including the Cà Pesaro (1908, 1909, 1913), where pieces designed by Zecchin and Wolf-Ferrari were also shown. During World War I, the furnace was temporarily moved to Livorno in Tuscany. In 1919, the company name was changed 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.

Benvenuto BarovierFloreale a murrine, 1913-1914