Murano Glass Expert is the author of this article on Murano Glass.
Murano is a commercial port located off the shore of Venice, Italy. A major attraction for tourists and a favorite destination for art glass lovers, glassmaking on the Venetian island has earned worldwide fame. By the 16th century, almost half of the island\'s population was involved in the glassmaking industry. Such was the finesse of their craftsmanship that they monopolized the market almost overnight.
A strive to develop new techniques and refine existing ones grabbed the attention of traders all across the globe as they flocked to the Venetian island of Murano for smalto, millefiori, lattimo (crystalline glass, colored glass, milk glass respectively). Today, the traditional techniques are still being used and a further diversification of products has turned Italian Murano glass into a rich industry. From contemporary glass lights to chandeliers and classy Murano lamps, Murano glassware is being produced largely for export and sale to tourists. Museo Vetrario (glass museum) traces the history of glassmaking from the very start to where it stands today. It even displays samples dating back to the Egyptian times. The museum has become a top tourist destination for its vivid depiction of the Italian Murano glass making culture.
The manufacture of Murano glass is complex to say the least. Murano glass art generally uses the lampworking technique. This technique has however been replaced in recent times by flameworking where a gas fuelled torch is used to melt clear or colored glass. The silica used to make glass becomes liquid at very high temperatures. During the cooling process, there is a reverse solidification. Midway however, the glass is soft can be molded into any shape the expert craftsmen desire. This they do either by hand movements or by shaping tools. The historical glass factories that had revolutionized the art of Murano glass making centuries ago stand today as some of the best known glass brands in the world. Venini, Pauly and Antica Vetreria Fratelli Toso (1854) are recognized all over for their flawless designs in Murano glass lights, glass lamps, chandeliers and Italian Murano glass figurines. There is hardly anyone who could deny the level of top notch workmanship involved.
It is not just the silica that is important to the artisan as raw material. Agents (flux) act as catalysts in the melting process. Sodium oxide slows down the solidification of glass which gives the glassmaker more time to shape things up. Then again, sodium is added to a glass mixture to make the surface opaque while nitrate is added to the same to eliminate bubbles. Some of the tools used to mould the glass include borselle, pontello and tagianti. Without proper utilization, it is almost impossible to arrive at the desired result. All in all, there is a lot of hard work going into even the simplest looking Italian Murano glass lamps or the more fancy Murano glass chandeliers. With advancement in science and technology, things are practically looking up. The art is on the verge of realizing new dimensions in terms of share in export market and foreign exchange influx. So the next time you decide brighten up your world, go in for authentic Italian Murano glass lighting.
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