Venetian glass

Venetian glass is a significant milestone in the history of glass.The first mention of glass production in the Venetian lagoon dates back to the 10th century.The formation of culture took place on the basis of the long -standing traditions of the late antiquity and creativity of Byzantine masters.

The greatest interest is Muranian glass, decorated with enamel and gilding and dating back to the period from approximately 1450 to 1530.According to legend, in nothing, however, not confirmed, the beginning of the glass of glass enamel in Venice is associated with the name of the famous master of the second half of the 15th century Angelo Beryero, a student of one of the most outstanding chemists of his time, Paolo Di Di Peregola.After 1530, enameled glass in Venice leaves little in fashion.It is made only for exporting abroad, mainly to Germany.In various museums there are a number of glasses, cups and jugs, performed by Muranian craftsmen and adorned with the emblems of German surnames.Sometimes these coats of arms were performed by German artists themselves, such as, for example, with Hirschfogel, Glockenton, etc. In the second half of the 15th century, an absolutely colorless transparent glass, the famous Venetian Cristallo, was invented.The latter name is explained by the desire to emphasize the colorlessness of the new glass compared to the greenish -shaped glass or colored glass.This invention, again, attributes to the already mentioned Angelo Burovierro and his son Marino.

Already at the beginning of the XVI century, the Venetians engraved the glass with a diamond in the so -called mechanical way.The chemical method of engraving was invented only in the second half of the XVII century and is as follows: the entire surface of the object is covered with a mastic consisting of a mixture of wax with Terba, then a pattern is scratched on mastic, which exposes those parts of the glass that should be etched.The object prepared in this way is subjected to the action of the corresponding acid, which eats glass along the naked lines of the pattern, after which the mastic is washed off.