Arlecchino (harlequin) figure in lattimo and black glass, costume in multicolour murrine on crystal glass foot

At the 1948 Venice Biennale, Venini presented a set of twelve Commedia dell’Arte masks designed by Bianconi. The popularity of these creations brimming with Bianconi’s sly humour prompted the furnace to produce other themes and characters: Moors, Musicians, Regional Costumes, and figures in the style of Tiepolo.

A very restricted number of figures, usually the Arlecchino character, was made in both pezzato glass and murrine glass. During the blowing of the glass, both take on the lozenge shape that is perfectly suited to the rhomboid parts of Arlecchino’s costume in 1700s style. These items demonstrate the extraordinary manual skill of master glassblower Arturo Biasutto, known as Boboli, Venini’s favourite collaborator for this type of subject. 

Bibliography

Marino Barovier (editor), Fulvio Bianconi alla Venini, Skira - Le Stanze del Vetro - Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Milan - Venice 2015, exhibition catalogue (Venice, Le Stanze del Vetro, Fondazione Giorgio Cini, September 13, 2015 – January 10, 2016), page 425.