The glass-making technique is nearly as old as civilisation itself. Early references to manmade glass vessels go back to Mesopotamia, 3,500 BC, a trade that the Egyptians quickly learned. However, the first curved glass manufacturers would only appear much later, during the Roman Empire.
Indeed, Italian glass manufacturers have a long and proud tradition of glass-making. Curved glass manufacturers have always been highly praised, as this process is complicated and expensive. Unlike vessels and other simple items, curved tempered glass is used in architectural design; just think about the dome at the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, built in Naples at the end of the 19th century.
Here’s how Italy became a reference in the art of glass-making.
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A Venetian Tradition
Early references to glass-making in Italy come from Venice in the 10th century, although it mostly consisted of simple items like vials and bottles. The first trade association was created there in 1225. However, all Italian glass manufacturers had to move to the island of Murano due to a government mandate in 1291, and that’s how Murano became the capital of glass-making in the country.
Indeed, the Venetians from Murano perfected the craft, developing new techniques and shapes. In the 15th century, they invented the “cristallo”, crystal-like colourless and thin glasses that rich people used for drinking. Initially, they were decorated with rings and other simple patterns. Such patterns evolved into dragons and other complex shapes in the 17th century.
Murano glass-makers also developed other kinds of techniques, like filigree glass, which blends coloured and colourless glasses. Calcedonio, an agate-looking glass, was also invented there, as were opal glasses, which use metal oxides in the mix.
Venetian glasses became the latest word in refinement in Europe and Islamic countries. Many glass-makers from other countries tried to imitate Venetian art, but the export of raw materials and technology from the island was strictly controlled. In fact, glass-makers could only leave the island between August and January, when furnaces were closed.
The State of the Art
Glass-making is still important in Italy today, as it has been for centuries. The country’s glass industry, including Italian curved glass manufacturers, generated EUR 6.4 billion in revenue in 2024. Likewise, the once-protected island of Murano now attracts tourists from all over the world.
Visitors will find examples of this tradition not only in museums but also in fancy stores like Louis Vuitton and Dolce & Gabanna, with jaw-dropping domes and chandeliers. Not by chance, the same kind of chandeliers and domes appear in the paintings of old masters like Caravaggio and Tintoretto.
Conclusion
Glass became more than decoration; it became an integral part of modern architectural designs. The Our Lady of Mercy church, built on glass with iron structures and a concrete ceiling, was built in 1958 by three Italian architects in Milan. It is also known as the “glass church.” Once in Milan, visitors can find even more modern glass-decorated buildings, like the Liebskind Tower, a 175-metre curved glass-covered tower.
