Dr. Claudia Quittenbaum about the unique ceiling light ‚Barchetta’ from 1958 In the history of Murano glass art of the 20th century Paolo Venini counts amongst one of the most important persons. In 1921 he founded the glass manufacture, which until today stands for high quality art glass. With an impeccable sense for creative potential he assigned architects such as Carlo Scarpa or designers such as Tapio Wirkkala as creative directors. With new techniques and decors they led the traditional Murano Glass into the Modern Era. Not only did the lawyer from Milan act as a clever businessman who through international cooperation made his company known world-wide he and his company, Venini, also realized a number of their own designs for vases and lamps: his murrhine-patterned models or lamps made of glass polyhedren are famous. In 1958 in cooperation with the architect Enrico Capuzzo, Venini created the unique ceiling light Barchetta – one of four lights which the art historian Rodolfo Pallucchini ordered for his private scriptorium in Venice. As a professor for art history and longstanding director of the art biennial (1948 till 1954) Pallucchini was a central figure of the Venetian art world. His apartment became a meeting point for designers and artists. Giuseppe Santomaso the exponent of abstract painting was one of his closest friends. But also Emilio Vedova and Oskar Kokoschka whos works were exhibited in the Biennale of 1948 were part of the illustrious circle of the art historian who had not only built a reputation as an art lover but was also known through publications and exhibitions concerning Venetian art of the Renaissance and the Baroque. The silhouette of the oval ceiling light of matted glass brings to mind, as the name already hints, a boat. Paolo Venini and Enrico Capuzzo chose a plain abstract décor of two overlapping blotches of color in red and rich violett. Even in daylight without being lit the glass reaches its full decorative effect.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 13:19:37 +0000
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