In the previous post we looked at the colors of Venice; let's continue the journey within the lagoon today with a quick look at Murano glass chandeliers.
Among the captivating artifacts on display at Venice's Palazzo Mocenigo, which houses the Museum and Study Center of Textile, Costume, and Perfume, History, there are a few opulent 18th-century chandeliers.
While some were acquired from other collections, others hanging within these rooms are original fixtures of the palazzo.
The most treasured chandeliers are meticulously crafted from blown glass, skillfully formed into vibrant bouquets of flowers in the "a cioca" style. These creations feature vibrant hues, including turquoise, pink, and red.
One particularly noteworthy chandelier, suspended in one of the palazzo's rooms, is attributed to the Venetian glass artisan Giuseppe Briati (Murano 1686 - Venice 1772).
For those who may not appreciate the grandeur of these traditional Murano pieces, there is a delightful solution - radically reinventing this type of chandelier in a more minimal way. A great example is the chandelier designed in 1988 by architect Gian Paolo Canova who that year presented a piece at Milan's Euroluce event directly inspired by traditional Murano designs, but completely transformed.
Dubbed "San Basilio" (Saint Basil) and crafted in Murano, it boasted 12 arms and 9 dichroic lights, elegantly supported by petite cones stacked one on top of the other, in a configuration reminiscent of radiant Christmas trees. Combining two enchanting color variations - pale pink and aqua green - it was originally produced by Carlo Moretti. Almost immediately after its debut, the design was featured on the cover of design magazine Casa Vogue.
At the time interior design critics lauded the transformation of the classic "a cioca" style into a geometric conical configuration. Canova aimed to transcend the notion of fleeting trends by creating designs that possessed enduring appeal, successfully achieving this with his geometrical chandelier that transformed the romantic and opulently rich Venetian style into a more streamlined rational and geometric aesthetic.
Those seeking even more unconventional configurations, can embark on a fun journey of reimagining classic Murano styles with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence.
While Midjourney may not excel at generating chandeliers in geometric styles, it certainly revels in crafting imaginative and whimsical creations, often featuring alien vegetation and creatures or disconcerting explosions of tentacles.
While these designs look rather bizarre, they make us smile and prompt us to wonder - could Artificial Intelligence act as an inspiration for Murano artisans, resulting in eccentric, quirky and offbeat modern creations?
Comments