The designers of the Muranese glass manufactory Arte Vetraria Muranese, or AVEM for short, obtained their signature chromatic effects by superimposing alternating opaque and transparent layers of glass and inlaying them with gold and silver foil. Over 800 design drawings, numerous archive images, and new photos of AVEM masterpieces make this an indispensable publication for all lovers of Murano glass.
ISBN 978-3-89790-588-7
9 783897 905887
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Anzolo Fuga often used the contrast between opaque and transparent, but he also liked straight clean lines. At first he fused coldly aligned canes and murrines, which were then picked up with a colourless blown form. When he encountered difficulties in aligning (round) murrines next to (rectilinear) opaque glass pieces, he countered this by eliminating the preliminary fusion. Instead he picked up murrine bands with a blown colourless form and then covered the colourless fields in between with opal glass. By covering the irregular edge of the murrine with opaque white opal, a clean straight line could be obtained. (Courtesy AVEM archives and Flavio Fuga, Murano (IT).
transmission from the mainland to Murano. An agreement was reached when AVEM was offered special loan conditions by Padani. In February 1953 AVEM announced a two-month pause in production to allow the necessary modifications to enable its furnaces to use methane. At that time AVEM confirmed having four employees and fifty-one workers (some of which were partners) who worked 40 to 45 hours a week. The factory operated two furnaces, one with six working stations, the other with two.17 During the mid-1950s AVEM also collaborated with external artists, either in connection with ENAPI – which connected, among other things, member-artists with executors (Aldo Bergamini in 1954) – or on a freelance basis (Vinicio Vianello in 1951–54, Edgardo Mannucci between 1955 and 1958 and Luigi Scarpa Croce in 1959). In 1954 Luciano Ferro and Aldo Nason executed (unidentified) works for Centro Studio Pittori nell’Arte del Vetro di Murano, better known as Fucina degli angeli. The factory continued with its general (commercial) catalogue, which featured crowd-pleasing caricature figurines such as clowns, Africans and Indians by Aldo Nason, and Commedia dell’arte figurines and animals by his father Emilio; meanwhile Giorgio Ferro introduced the Surrealismo series (sommerso objects, often animals, in black covered with transparent blue) and modern stylised figurines. 18
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HISTORY
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The year 1955 witnessed some important changes to the board of partners. In November Ottone Ferro, Aldo and Marisa Radi and Galliano Ferro withdrew as partners, the latter in order to found his own company together with his sons Giorgio and Pietro-Luigi. Remaining partners were now Egidio, Francesco, Alberta, Luigi-Enrico and Giuseppe Ferro (the heirs of Antonio Luigi) together with Emilio Nason.18 In 1956 Ada Ferro (1921–2000), daughter of Egidio, worked in the offices as a secretary. These legal changes would, in turn, have an impact on daily output. Between 1951 and 1955, Giorgio Ferro had contributed considerably to AVEM’s model catalogue. His withdrawal left the factory with an open position, which was filled by Anzolo Fuga (1914–1998). HISTORY
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6 Unidentified designer, Incamiciato or Doublé vases, c. 1937, H. 14 cm; and Zanfirico vase, model 7857, H. 16 cm. Private collection, Hamburg (DE). So-called Mignon or Tipetti vases of small dimensions and very basic design. Mass production of these (made as cheaply as possible, and only sold in large numbers) was offered by various Murano companies, with which they formed a secure and continuous source of income. While sometimes deriving from models that featured in their general catalogue (such as the illustrated, albeit simplified, model 7857 on the right), most forms were made exclusively for specific import companies, which had their own internal numbering system.
WORKS
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8 Unidentified designer, Opachi a mace avventurina e murrine, c. 1938, H. 25–30 cm. Contemporary model drawings, AVEM factory archives, Murano (IT), and courtesy of Quittenbaum, Munich (DE).
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WORKS
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44
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13 Giulio Radi, A trina d’argento, c. 1948, model 056, W. 13 cm. Courtesy of L. Holz, Berlin (DE); model 057, H. 18.5 cm, courtesy of Quittenbaum, Munich (DE).
WORKS
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46
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14 Giulio Radi, Reazioni policrome series, Spirale nero, c. 1950, H. 21 cm, private collection, Lodelinsart (BE); H. 22 cm. Courtesy of Quittenbaum, Munich (DE).
WORKS
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16 Giulio Radi, Reazioni policrome, A perle (or Leopardo), c. 1950. H. 13 – 17.5 cm, courtesy of L. Holz, Berlin (DE).
17 Giulio Radi, Reazioni policrome, A perle (or Leopardo), c. 1950. H. 23 cm, courtesy of Wright, Chicago (US).
WORKS
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54
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19 Giulio Radi, Reazioni policrome series, Balloton, c. 1950, H. 21 cm. Private collection, Paris (FR). 20 Giulio Radi, Reazioni policrome series, Ad anelli, c. 1950, H. 12.5 cm. Courtesy of Wright, Chicago (US).
WORKS
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23 Giorgio Ferro, Anse volanti series, c. 1952, model 11870, H. 17 cm. Courtesy of Quittenbaum, Munich (DE).
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24 Giorgio Ferro, Anse volanti series, c. 1952, H. 22 cm. Courtesy of Wright, Chicago (US).
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33 Canne opache ritorto, c. 1956, H. 31.5 cm. Courtesy of Quittenbaum, Munich (DE).
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39 Anzolo Fuga, A canne, c. 1956, model 13475, H. 46 cm. Private collection, Hanover (DE).
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40 Anzolo Fuga, Bandierine, c. 1956, model 13480, H. 36 cm. Private collection, Hanover (DE).
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45–46 This series’ quite notable name refers to the multicoloured patches, reminiscent of the costume of a Commedia dell’arte character. The Arlecchino series was introduced in 1953, albeit at first in a restrained execution (see cat. no. 27). It was offered in a variety of shapes, from boldly modern to classic, and came with various finishes, including corrosion, as can be seen on the three illustrations of model 13485. The designer of this commercially successful series remains unknown.
45 Unidentified designer, Arlecchino, c. 1953, model 12035, H. 45 cm. Private collection, Berlin (DE).
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53 Unidentified designer, Bizantino, c. 1956, model 13585, H. 30 cm. Courtesy of Quittenbaum, Munich (DE).
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90 Anzolo Fuga, c. 1965–68, one-off, H. 41.5 cm. Collection of L. Holz, Berlin (DE). 91 Anzolo Fuga, c. 1965–68, one-off, H. 43 cm. Collection of L. Holz, Berlin (DE).
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13940, 14030, 14072 Anzolo Fuga
13941–13942, 14032 Anzolo Fuga
14035, 14071, 14092 Anzolo Fuga
14128, 14905
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13963 Anzolo Fuga
14072, 14093, 14174 Anzolo Fuga
14165, 14177 Aldo Nason
ARCHIVES Photographs
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14194 – 14195
14202 – 14203
14212 – 14213 Anzolo Fuga
14227– 14228 Aldo Nason
14236 – 14237
14259 – 14260 Anzolo Fuga
ARCHIVES Photographs
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d
e
f
Four original general catalogue drawings: Il generale (d) and Lo scozzese (e) by Emilio Nason, Il costume della norma (f) by Aldo Nason, c. 1950–51, and La donna dal cappello di paglia (g) by Giorgio Ferro, c. 1952. Original general catalogue drawings are distinguishable from oven drawings by their precise and detailed execution, the use of colour and, usually, an indication of the time it would take an experienced group of three to four persons to execute one object. This information was key as it determined to a large extent the cost and the sales price.
g
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ARCHIVES Drawings
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Anzolo Fuga constantly drew sketches for objects from which he choose only a few to be executed. Once this was determined, an enlarged drawing in colour was made (h–j) and finally a detailed technical version of the subject on a scale of 1:1 (i). Normally Fuga’s colour designs – fragile chalk drawings – were not to be placed among the general catalogue drawings; instead he would provide a detailed pencil drawing. In many cases the general catalogue drawing was not made by Fuga but by a less experienced hand (k).
h
i
j
k
all drawings were perforated in order to fit the binders. With the exception of some original drawings by Anzolo Fuga and Giorgio Ferro, many of these drawings are of poor quality. It seems that they were not made to show clients but rather served as an internal inventory. As can also be noted in other Murano archives, drawings of long-lasting popular models (which suffered whenever lifted from the archives) were replaced with reproductions from a later date. Aside from those collected in the binders, many loose drawings can still be found on the premises. This ‘Drawings’ section represents a selection of all hitherto known drawings. ARCHIVES Drawings
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1–3
7–9
13–14
18–19
24–26
37
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ARCHIVES Drawings
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57–58
59– 60
61–62
64–65
70–71
72–73
ARCHIVES Drawings
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The designers of the Muranese glass manufactory Arte Vetraria Muranese, or AVEM for short, obtained their signature chromatic effects by superimposing alternating opaque and transparent layers of glass and inlaying them with gold and silver foil. Over 800 design drawings, numerous archive images, and new photos of AVEM masterpieces make this an indispensable publication for all lovers of Murano glass.
ISBN 978-3-89790-588-7
9 783897 905887
AVEM_COVER_PROOF.indd
1
29.04.20
14:02