Description

A POLYCHROME MURANO GLASS AQUARIUM WITH JELLYFISH
Attributable to Alfredo Barbini (1912 – 2007), Murano, Venice, Italy, ca. 1950s – 1960s

Of an asymmetrical rectangular shape, the main clear glass block decorated with two colorful fish, a jellyfish , presented in motion amidst seaweeds and coral, the decoration achieved with the technique of sommerso (submerged) glass, a form of Murano glass art featuring several layers of contrasting colors within the same clear glass base.

Dimensions: 9″ wide, 8″ high, 2.5″ deep

Condition: Very Good With Signs Of Ware

Alfredo Barbini was a leading figure of the 20th-century Italian glassmaking industry. Born in 1912 on the island of Murano, Venice, from a prominent family of glassblowers and beadmakers, he was destined to become a glass artist. He started working at the young age of 13, and throughout his career, he worked with important glassmakers such as Archimede Seguso and Napoleone Martinuzzi. In 1950, after WWII, he managed to set up his own glassmaking firm, specializing in two main techniques: vetro massiccio (sculptural glass) and vetro sommerso (submerged, multi-colored and layered glass). The Aquarium series is particularly popular in his repertoire.