Sunday, March 29, 2009

Touched Up Some Photos

   

A picture is worth a thousand words! Our artist cleaned up some photos today. The revised version show more vivid color of the products. I must say she brought out the gold foil and silver foil of these pendants shown above.

My personal favorite is the last one, "Chiayen Murano's Daisy Multi-Color" line. All products from this line were made with one of the most traditional murano glass making technique, Millefiori. Call me nostalgic, but I love the traiditonal styles! The vivid color and flower pattern makes a great additional to both my casual and office outfits.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Murano Glass History


The beautiful Murano Island

Murano is an island with an area of 1,134 acres in the Venetian Lagoon. The beautiful island lies about a mile north of Venice and it has been known as the home of glassmaking for centuries.

Murano was settled by the Romans and prospered as a fishing and trading port throughout the Eastern Mediterranean and in the Islamic territories of the Levant and North Africa, as far back as the 7th Century. However, in 1291, all the glassmakers in Venice were forced to move to Murano due to the risk of fires from Venice. Murano's glassmakers were soon became the dominate professionals living on the island. By the 14th Century, artisans were given immunity from prosecution by the Venetian state and granted the right to wear swords. The glassmakers enjoyed to have their daughters married into affluent families at Venice. But the catch is: glassmakers weren't allowed to leave the Republic.

The good outcome from government's strict ruling was that glassmakers needed to refine their techniques in order to stand out from the competition. The island reached its peak in the 16th century, when it had more than 30,000 inhabitants; glassmaking continues and well-known technologies of glassmaking still reminds today; including crystalline glass, enameled glass (smalto), glass with threads of gold (aventurine), multicolored glass (millefiori), and milk glass (lattimo).

The art and artistry of Murano is constantly evolving. We hope that through this site, we can bring you the heritage of the island.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Murano Glasswork Technique


Murano Glass Photos


Different glassworks often create their own terms for a technique. Many terms are
used are in Italian, Venetian dialect or from a root word.

The glossary below introduces the principal processes and terms that have been widely
use:


Aventurina Glass- also sometimes termed "avventurina" or "pasta stellaria"

The art of precipitating iridescent particles in glass. Copper or chrome usually is used and crystallized from the coloring agent used in the glass. The crystallizing process occurs during a lengthy cooling of the molten glass in a special glass vessel. The process was accidentally discovered about 1610-25.

Cristallo

Clear and pure colourless glass. Such process is achieved through de-coloring agents during the melting process in order to neutralize the effect of any residual contaminants.

Filigrana, Reticello, Retortoli Glass

A complex pattern produced by first preparing glass rods, which are then incorporated into the surface of a blown object. "Reticello" is when the threads are interwoven to form a grid. "Retortoli" is also called 'zanfico' in Murano. This is one of the most important technique invented in Murano during the Renaissance. It consists of 2 filaments ttwisted into a spiral.

Ghiaccio

A process that puts hot glass into cold water creating a finely crackled surface.

Incalmo

This is an ancient technique to join the glass into a single object. This craft requires a particular dexterity from the master perofmring it. The master will need to join separate blown elements together at the same diameter at the junction point while hot.

Lattimo

Opaque white glass, originally created to emulate Chinese porcelain in late fifteenth century, only about 100 years after Chinese porcelain was first imported into Europe. Tin oxide was added to the molten glass in order to produce the opacity and color. Calcium and sodium flourides were substituted in the later years. The word originates from "latte" (milk).

Millefiori

"A thousand flowers" is the direct translation in Italian. It is the technique of shaping multi-coloured rods, and cut the rod in thin slices and embedded them into glass. It is one of the oldest techniques that is still very popular today.

Murrine

A process of melting murrina plaques ("murrine") that have been prepared previously. This technique is one of the most versatile and widely-used techniques in glassmaking. 

Opalino

Partly translucent milky-white glass created by adding lead arsenate to the molten glass.

Pulegoso

Translucent glass containing bubbles ("puleghe" in dialect of Murano). This effect is caused by adding a polluting agent such as kerosene into the hot glass upon combustion. 

Sommerso

Thick glass produced by blowing multi-layers of different colored glass within each other. An alternative technique is to dip a blown object into molten glass or to pour molten glass onto the object.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Murano Glass Jewelry for your Valentine's Day!

ChiayenMurano.com has more items for you to shop now. Moreover, from now till Feb 15th, ChiayenMurano.com is offering 15% off storewide on top of the current sale price, plus FREE ground shipping!!