In addition to the master glassmakers, decorators and artists, the excellence of Murano’s glass also requires master grinders.
Grinding glass means working it when it is cold, proceeding by subtraction of material as if you were working with a sculpture in marble.
Pietro and Riccardo Ferro are among the few grinders that have remained in Murano: following in the footsteps of their father, they have learned the fine art of grinding while working in the family company for more than 25 years, continuing an excellent tradition that has now almost vanished.
Their mastery is recognized internationally and they were invited to teach their art in several schools in the United States.
Many important glassmasters make use of their expertise when they wish to give their works special finishes.
Their works are exhibited in several and prestigious art galleries in Sweden, Holland and the United States.
THE KNOWLEDGE THAT FLOWS THROUGH THEIR HANDS
When visiting the Venier glassworks you have the sensation of being in an ancient renaissance workshop where the ceaseless work is intertwined with the masters’ creativity, with knowledge of the materials, with rigor, with the desires of noble ladies and patrons, and with the reverent obedience of the assistants.
The Master Glassmakers are undoubtedly the key figures. From a very early age (10-12 years), they have shared their existence with the incandescent glow of glass: the experience and traditions of centuries live in them, renewed through the specialization in few, if not in only one, work process for which they are known and held in high esteem: there is he who as a matter of fact is the master in lamps, he who is the master in sculptures, he who is the master in vases … and they have gained a renown that has even reached important Heads of State and their works are displayed in the most famous museums of the world.
When meeting Pino Signoretto you grasp the fact that mastery is the child of humbleness and experience. His hands are his tireless companions: they [...]
We cannot but feel an immense admiration for the Glass Master Walter Furlan, a man who has contributed to shaping the history of glass of Murano with [...]
Being able to see is important, but for a master glassmaker, drawing is also essential: it is one of the ways that things are known, an indispensable [...]