THE GLASS MANUFACTURING

Glass manufacturing is a Venetian tradition that was kept intact for years. Some archeological findings suggest that glass was manufactured on Torcello and Murano islands as early as the VII century. It is certain that around the XII° century, the glass industry became an organized manufacturing activity concentrated mostly in Murano that became the centre of the glass industry and consequently the mayor cause of pollution in the city.

Byzantines played a very important role in developing art glass in Venice. They took inspiration from Costantinopoli after the 4th Crusade in 1204. The tradition of the glassware craft was jealously preserved by particular sanctions that determined who could and who couldn't carry on glassmaking activities.

It seems that glassmakers during the Serenissima (Republic of Venice) could not leave the city because they had to keep a secret of their working style. In exchange, they were rewarded by allowing their daughters to married Venice's patrician families.

For many centuries Murano had the lead in glass manufacturing; the artisans developed fine techniques such as multicoloured and crystalline glass. The products were mostly utilitarian such as wine and oil bottles, glasses and lamps. Further development of the glass art lead to the production of a transparent crystal-like glass used for manufacture of more precious objects. Today, Murano is regarded as one of the best places in Europe for glass manufacturing. The island is also the home of the Glass Museum.

More information: about Murano

Another typical Venetian craft is the manufacture of the Carnival masks. The importance of Carnival is first recorded in 1268. The first masks were of simple design and decoration. They can be made of leather or in the original papier-maché tehnique. Today, they are often made of plaster and gold-leaf and afterwards hand-painted with differnt materials used for decoration. The typical mask shapes are bauta, moretta and the larva or volto mask.

It is important to mention the Burano lace, also considered as one of the typical Venetian crafts. The spectacular needlework made the Burano lace apreciated all over the Europe and in the 16th century the manufacture was at its peak becoming Burano's biggest income source. Today, you can easily find shops in Venice that sell articles such as tablecloth, collars, bed linen, handkerchiefs and many other linen products.