Description
A POLYCHROME MURANO GLASS AQUARIUM WITH THREE FISH
Attributable to Alfredo Barbini (1912 – 2007), Murano, Venice, Italy, ca. 1950
Dimensions: 7″ wide, 6″ high, 2.5″ deep
Condition: With light markings throughout, Inquire for a detailed images of ware
Of rectangular shape, the main clear glass block decorated with colorful fish, presented in motion amidst seaweeds, 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, unmarked
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.