Istituto: Glass Study Centre
Vetro e Arti Decorative alla Biennale di Venezia. 1912–1930
In conjunction with the exhibition at Le Stanze del Vetro on the presence of Murano art at the Venice Biennale from the start of the twentieth century, the Glass Study Centre brings together glass historians and experts to explore various aspects of this extraordinary event. At the centre of the conference are not only the key figures of Venetian glass art and the critical
success of some of the most iconic works, but also the choice of colours and shapes made by the likes of Hans Stoltenberg Lerche, Teodoro Wolf Ferrari, Guido Balsamo Stella and Vittorio Zecchin.
h 9:30am | Free entry until capacity is reached
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Series “Glass Notebooks”
- Dino Martens
- Ginny Ruffner, Peter Shire, Emmanuel Babled
- Vinicio Vianello
The series “Glass Notebooks”, created to provide a tangible expression of a concise yet monographic editorial initiative, serves as a tool for disseminating and collecting critical and biographical contributions dedicated to the archival collections housed at the Glass Study Center. Established in 2012 as part of the Institute of Art History at the Giorgio Cini Foundation, this initiative was promoted by the Foundation itself in collaboration with Pentagram Stiftung.
The Glass Archive represents a hub for research, preservation, and consultation of valuable memories, functioning as an active study center within an Institute of Art History committed to a continuous and multifaceted investigation of decorative arts as a whole. Its approach embraces diverse research programs and fields of study. The creation of this series is driven by the recognition of the significant role that in-depth exploration and dissemination of Venetian glass art play within the broader context of modern and contemporary art history. This importance is exemplified by numerous exhibitions hosted at Le Stanze del Vetro.
The Glass Study Center preserves drawings, sketches, albums, production catalogs, technical projects, and varied documentation spanning from the early 20th century to the 1990s, making it a treasure trove of material that positions it as the General Archive of Venetian Glass.
Each Notebook contains a concise biographical essay paired with a carefully curated and previously unpublished selection of images, showcasing the remarkable artistic achievements of the individuals featured in each volume. The initial three volumes highlight contributions by Marc Heiremans on Dino Martens, Rosa Barovier Mentasti on Ginny Ruffner, Peter Shire, and Emmanuel Babled, and Luca Massimo Barbero on Vinicio Vianello.
The “Glass Notebooks” series is designed as a concise and exemplary collection aimed at an international audience, including younger readers, offering them a glimpse into the depth and richness of the archival collections that vividly illustrate the extraordinary activities of the Venetian glassmaking world. By doing so, it aims to foster research, knowledge, and the education of new, increasingly passionate glass scholars to join the ranks of the already distinguished researchers who have so far shaped this foundational framework of sources and documentation.
Glass Study Centre
Thanks to a joint initiative between the Fondazione Giorgio Cini and Pentagram Stiftung, the Glass Study Centre was established within the Institute of Art History in 2012.
Now a crucial point of reference for the study of art glass, the archive has progressively collected invaluable documentary materials from the major historic glassworks of Murano. These collections mainly consist of drawings, plans, correspondence, and period photographic reproductions, which now represent irreplaceable resources available to the scientific community to promote the safeguarding, research, and enhancement of modern and contemporary glass art.
Among the archives housed at the Centre are those of Aureliano Toso, Barovier Seguso and Ferro, M.V.M. Cappellin & C., Pauly & C. – C.V.M, Seguso Vetri d’Arte, Società Veneziana Conterie, and Vetrerie Antonio Salviati. The collection also includes works by some of the most renowned glass designers, including Emmanuel Babled, Fulvio Bianconi, Luigi Scarpa Croce, Dino Martens, Flavio Poli, Ginny Ruffner, Carlo Scarpa, Peter Shire, and Vinicio Vianello. More recently, the prestigious archives of notable contemporary artists such as Cristiano Bianchin, Silvano Rubino, Giorgio Vigna, and the great master glassmaker Pino Signoretto have been added.
The Centre also organises temporary exhibitions, conferences, and seminars, designed as in-depth explorations of the exhibitions in the Stanze del Vetro. It is actively engaged in the systematic cataloguing of its archival heritage and the implementation of digitisation campaigns. To date, the digital registry includes materials from the extensive archive, both graphic and photographic, of the Seguso Vetri d’Arte glassworks, which provides a comprehensive record of the rich production line of the historic furnace from 1932 to 1973. Additionally, the archive of artist Vinicio Vianello, a central figure in Spatialism and a pioneering experimenter in the field of glass art, has been digitised. His renowned Atomici vases, along with his lighting and design models, are part of this collection.
Among the digital collections available are those of prominent contemporary artists active in Murano, including Ginny Ruffner, Peter Shire, and various significant projects by Emmanuel Babled. Finally, the Dino Martens archive has also been digitised.
Glass Study Centre, Sala Messina. © Fondazione Giorgio Cini
With over 200.000 original documents and a specialised library comprising 2.300 volumes, the Glass Study Centre is currently the most important general archive of Venetian glass.
The Centre’s archive, which draws from the heritage of art collections and historical archives of the Murano Venetian glassworks, is primarily composed of drawings and plans, correspondence and documentation, production catalogues, press reviews, and period photographic reproductions.
