A few gestures that seem simple, but which are actually the result of many years of work and technical improvements, a school that has been passed down for centuries from generation to generation in the furnace.

Glass, like almost everything, was discovered by chance, noting that the sand exposed to high temperature of the fire melts and becomes glass. The first to master the technique of molten glass seems to have been the Phoenicians, then the technique has spread along the coasts of Middle Eastern and Egyptian Mediterranean. Originally, the molten glass was stamped on the forms to obtain rudimentary containers for food and drink.

The Romans imported this technique from the East and one of the first Italian factories seems to have been founded in Aquileia, an ancient and important Roman harbour through which the trade took place between East and continental Europe.

With the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the Barbarian invasions in northern Italy, the populations of Altino and Aquileia sought refuge in the islands of the Venetian lagoon, in order to escape the raids of these people, and thus founding the first settlement of Venice at the end of fifth century. Recent archaeological excavations, however, seem to prove the existence of a pre-existing Roman settlement. For sure, with the barbarian invasions, the role of the commercial port of Aquileia was gradually replaced by Venice, and it is probably from Aquileia that Venice inherits the glass technique and especially the role of bridgehead between the West and the East.

Through trade with the East, Venice had the ability to assimilate foreign cultures and many advanced techniques together with them. It became a rich and powerful maritime republic but also learned some of the finest arts like wool weaving, precious metals processing and glass blowing. The Eastern influence in both tastes and glass blowing techniques were crucial for the development of glass art in Venice.

That is the reason why the Murano glass chandeliers have plastic shapes and are blown hot in the most elegant forms and in the most varied colors, marking a clear contrast with the previous glass processing style which traditionally limited the glass as a hard and monochromatic material. This way of interpreting the glass develops over time a glass-making school that becomes unique to Venice and soon reaches a climax with great artistic examples of stylistic virtuosity.

The first historical document that certifies glassmaking in Venice is dated 982AD. Since 1291AD glassworkers, which had meanwhile moved to the nearby island of Murano for security reasons and perhaps for privacy, are banned from Venice and from that date Murano links its fate to the glass.

The art of glass becomes exclusive of people from Murano, creating true dynasties of Master glassblowers, some of which are still active from the Middle Ages to nowadays. This makes Murano one of the oldest still operating production plants. A true historical and cultural heritage to defend and preserve.

This is why many collectors around the world seek after these precious works of art which are represented by Murano chandeliers.