I rode the vaporetto over to Murano in order to see some of the beautiful glass pieces produced there. Murano is an island roughly a km to the north of Venice. Since the 11th century, when glassblowers were made to vacate Venice proper due to the threat their furnaces posed to the many wooden buildings there, Murano has been a center for amazing feats with glass. These artists were so highly regarded that they were given extraordinary privileges: they could carry a sword, received immunity from prosecution for a variety of crimes, and were able to marry into noble families. They also closely guarded the secrets of techniques, and held them within families. Competition was great, and spurred them on towards great artistry.
Today, most of the secrets have been leaked, and Murano no longer holds the monopoly it once did. But it's still an amazement to see what they can do.
Here are a few examples:
This is a fine example of old techniques vs new; there's a move now towards greater simplicity and brighter colors
This piece was on display outside a shop on Murano; the intricacy is astounding
I wish I'd taken more pictures to share with you. There is so much more! But for most of the time, I went from shop to shop, mouth agape in awe, and completely forgot to take pictures.
