Island of Murano

The island of Murano is located at the north of Venice, in the lagoon. The craftsmen are specialized in the blowing of the Verre and have an international repute.

Geography

Surface of 1,17 km.

History

In 1201, the Senate of Venice writes a decree which obliges the glassmakers of Venice to install their furnaces on the island of Murano. Many fires had been indeed declared in Venice which had had due to the furnaces of glassmakers and the Venetian ones worried about the risks caused at their houses out of wooden.

Thus the glassmakers of Venice were forced to transfer their furnaces and workshops to Murano where there remains about it today still a hundred. Each glassmaking jealously preserves its transmitted secrecies of wire father.

A very regulated operation

The production of glass was very regulated, not only with regard to obtaining the licenses for the Master-glassmakers but also on the number of workmen whom they had the right to employ, category by category.

Same manner, for better controlling the prices and the production, a very strict calendar of operation of the furnaces was enacted by the Republic of Venice.

Thus the glassmakings were obliged to respect an annual leave which extended from mid-August mid-January.

Admired and coveted productions

At the time of its apogee, the productions of Murano were appreciated and known in whole Europe and this to Constantinople.

Many sovereigns, of passage to Venice, moved until Murano to admire and order their crockery, vases, etc

The know-how of the glassmakers of Murano caused obviously many covetousnesses on behalf of the other European countries. This is why, since 1275, the export of rough glass as of the matters which were used to compose it, but also that of broken glass, for fear the foreigner, by analyzing it, did not surprise the process of people of Murano, was prohibited by the Venetian senate.

When Louis XIV, at the 17th century, ends up succeeding in discharging some glassmakers of Murano to bring them in France, the Council of the Ten of the Republic of Venice went until paying agents to kill the workmen deserters who would refuse to return in Murano.

the dynasty Ballarin

Giorgio Ballarin was born around 1440 in Spalato in Dalmatie and settled at once in Murano with his/her Pietro father, his mother and her Stefano brother. Giorgio di Pietro says Zorzi Spalatino, is regarded as the true ancestor of the famous family Ballarin de Murano, which as well gave rise to various personalities in the art of glass as in the trade or the politico-diplomatic career. Zorzi, around 1456, returned in the capacity as famiglio, with the service of the glassmaker Domenico Caner, him also Dalmatian origin and which had opened a furnace with Murano. In a document of the time, it is indicated like “' Georgius Sclavonus famulus ser Menegin Caner. ” Zorzi learned art from glass like no one other before him. At the time of a delicate operation, a workman dropped on his left foot, the blowtorch of glassmaker, since this day and because of its step become claudicante, it was affublé of a new nickname: it ballarino (the dancer). Indeed, the documents of Murano name it for the first time on October 20th, 1479 “Zorzi da Spalato dito Balarin” . As from this day, the island of Murano had a new family which was going to become the noble dynasty of intus ED extra of Ballarin de Murano.

A few years later Giorgio Zorzi Ballarin passed in the glassmaking of Angelo Barovier. With its death in 1460, the direction of the furnace is taken in hand by the children Giovanni and Marietta Barovier. Giorgio could attend the preparation of the receipts of the large glassmaker, and after having transcribed them, it improved art and initiated in 1483 an activity into clean; thereafter, in 1492, he invents the coloured glass transparent ruby which become with the crystal, a matter very required by the noble Venetian ones, until becoming “Gastaldo” of glass art and one of the most important contractors and rich person of the island.

Giorgio became thereafter the owner of some palates with Murano and in the area of Trévise. It made build for its family, her descendants and for him even, a vault in the church of San Pietro Martire de Murano, where, it dies in 1506.

This fulgurating social rise, in full Venetian rebirth, surrounded by a suspicieux and envieux climate, remained during centuries in the collective memory of Muranais and inspired, at the time of a visit with Murano, the American writer F. Marion Crawford in its account “Marietta has off maid Venice”, as well as Australian Mona McBurney for its Opera “The Dalmatian” which it composes in 1905.

Francesco Ballarin (1480 - 1555), Gastaldo LED' Arte, excel manufacturing vases, was known beyond the borders of the Venetian republic for its very beautiful exposures during the festivals of Sensa to San Marco.

Domenico Ballarin (1490 - 1570), Gastaldo dell' Arte, saw its notoriety being spread in the courses Italian and the most raised artistic mediums, until beyond the Alps. The poet Pietro Aretino, in a letter with the duke of Mantoue dating of November 3rd, 1531, defines it as “idolo in cotal arte” (similar to a god in this art) and glorifie these masterpieces in 1535 in the “Four books of the humanity of Christ” . Known at the court of France under the name of the Venetian “commercial” which provided its splendid cuts of crystal to king François Ist.

Pietro Ballarin (1532 - 1599), Gastaldo dell' Arte and Grand Guardian, in spite of the fact that the political situation was always tended between the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire, the Sultanate did not fail to be forwarded to Constantinople, various products out of glass of Ballarin coming from their furnace “Al San Marco". In the only year the 1590 ordering of the Sultanate rose with 900 parts approximately. The Basilica of San Marco itself, did not fail to acquire great quantities of enamels coloured for its splendid mosaics.

Evolution of the production of the art of glass with Murano

Initially utility it became an art of a great refinement which knows its apogee of the 16th century at the 18th century. The current production is especially directed towards a great profusion of glassmaking of shoddy goods produced on the spot to ensure the incomes of the island. Another threat weighs on the brand image with Murano: it is about the Chinese copy and other Contrefaçon S which will arrive at end of excellence and creation.

It remains however, and they are expanding, some glassmakings known as of art, which produce objects of great quality, generally with the assistance of contemporary artists. One can quote for this reason, inter alia, the Venini workshops, Seguso, Pauly and Ballarin

An island celebrates for its gardens and its palates

the island of Murano was also famous for its gardens. Between friends the noble ones there but also the artists, painters and writers found who appreciated his softness and his perfumes.

Among them let us quote the famous printer Alde Old the (Alduce Manuce) or Pietro Aretino known as Arétin.

That also meant that until the 18th century the island counted many palates. Unfortunately they all were almost destroyed by Napoleon Bonaparte, then commander-in-chief of the Armée with Italy, at the time of its occupation of Venice in 1797.

For the palates, it was also advisable to add the casins , places of pleasure but also, later, of plays of money and the word gave rise to besides the word casino .

It is in Murano that Casanova finds its dear nun M.M in the casin of Mister de Bernis who takes pleasure with épier their frolicking. Mister De Bernis was then ambassador from France to Venice and he will become later the Cardinal of Bernis.

See too

Internal bonds

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