THE ART OF CRAFT

Murano is synonymous with fine Venetian glass, just as the name BAROVIER & TOSO is renowned for exquisitely crafted glassware, perhaps best exemplified by their iconic Taif chandelier

IT’S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE to imagine a company, let alone a family dynasty, surviving intact for over 700 years, but that’s exactly the case with Barovier & Toso, specialists in the art of crafting exquisite Venetian glass products. Over the course of seven centuries, these master glassmakers have kept their ancient craft alive, with many of the family’s early creations now residing in museums and private art collections.

The origins of Barovier & Toso – the world›s sixth-oldest family business still in operation today – date back to 1295, when Jacobello Barovier became the first member of the family to begin working in glass. In 1291, glassmakers in Venice were required to move to Murano, a series of islands linked by bridges in the Venetian Lagoon, as all the glass furnaces were being concentrated there. It’s believed that the Barovier family established themselves in Murano that same year, with the Toso family establishing their foothold in Murano around 1350.

As time went by, the Barovier collection of masterpieces became more and more numerous, as did the family line itself. In the period between the late Renaissance (1500s) and the early Baroque era (1600s), three Barovier glass masters were living and working in Murano, each running their own independent glassworks. Characterised by their unique insignias, they were known respectively as the “Angel”, the “Bell” and the “Star”.

As any historian knows, those were tumultuous times, full of great change – especially in the arts. The Baroque style, known for its exuberant detailing, challenged these artisan glassmakers in multiple ways, pushing each one to experiment with daring and technically complex designs. Despite everything, the Baroviers were able to survive and thrive, fiercely protecting the wealth of glass making secrets they had accumulated over hundreds of years.

By the mid-1800s – as the world was in a state of upheaval due to the changes brought on by the industrial revolution – the Barovier’s time-honoured profession was about to undergo a significant transformation. Partnerships between the individual Barovier studios laid the foundations for the new ‘Artisti Barovier’ joint company, which henceforth

operated under the crest of the Star, the Angel, and the Bell (the same three symbols which appear in the company’s crest-like logo to this day). Another important change was that the Baroviers had opened the doors of their ateliers to sculptors, painters, designers, and architects, beginning a tradition of creative collaboration that continues to define the House’s style even now.

As the company entered the modern age, the late Ercole Barovier held the role of artistic director for much of the 20th century. He wisely understood that a deeply romantic sense of mystery and magic underscored this glass making tradition, where every piece was meticulously crafted on a remote island in a misty, Italian lagoon. This heritage, as well as the immense artistry and dedication involved in creating hand-crafted glass, were the trademarks that gave the company its undisputed prestige. The studio’s skilled artisans often spent weeks by the furnaces – where temperatures reached 1,200 degrees and above – pinching, cutting, blowing, and twisting incandescent material until sand and fire fulfilled their destiny to become glimmering works of art.

The initial fusing of the Barovier identity with the Toro lineage can be traced back to 1936, when Vetreria Artistica Barovier merged with Ferro Toso. A mere six years later the company was officially renamed Barovier & Toso. During the 1980s, one of Barovier & Toso’s greatest challenges arose when a French design studio asked for a chandelier to be created for King Al-saud’s new palace in Taif.

Mixing French and Venetian styles, the final piece was stunning play of crosses, drops, and candles made of steel that created a unique refraction of light. Thus the ‘Taif’ was born, and it soon spawned iconic and dramatic new versions and variations, such as the ultra-dark Taif found in the Hyatt Hotel in Seoul (the first time a Venetian artwork ever went all black).

The Taif chandelier preserves the formal quality and value of Murano glass, while embracing new aesthetics and mixing in ever-evolving styles and trends. This versatility and vision has made the Taif chandelier a new standard in the Barovier & Toso collection, and in many ways it best represents the dynasty’s timeless obsession with perfection, which has stretched across more than 20 generations.

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