Venetians | Chihuly

An eclectic take on classics

An unlikely marriage of formality and unrestrained exuberance, Venetians began as an experiment by Chihuly and Italian maestro glassblower Lino Tagliapietra. At the core of the Venetians is a classical vessel, with wildly flamboyant attachments like snaky handles, leaves, and twisted coils and ribbons.

Translucent Gilded Sienna Venetian with Magenta Coils, 1991 by Dale Chihuly

Translucent Gilded Sienna Venetian with Magenta Coils, 1991, 24 x 20 x 16"
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Cloudy Amber Venetian with Coil and Topaz Leaves, 2008 by Dale Chihuly

Cloudy Amber Venetian with Coil and Topaz Leaves, 2008, 29 x 14 x 14"
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Silvered Venetian with Gilded Sienna Leaves, 1993 by Dale Chihuly

Silvered Venetian with Gilded Sienna Leaves, 1993, 18 x 10 x 10"
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Silvered Cobalt Venetian with Ice Flowers, 2014 by Dale Chihuly

Silvered Cobalt Venetian with Ice Flowers, 2014, 17 x 19 x 18"
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Gilded Burgundy Venetian with Flowers, 2010 by Dale Chihuly

Gilded Burgundy Venetian with Flowers, 2010, 21 x 18 x 15"
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Chartreuse Venetian with Handles and Leaves, 2015 by Dale Chihuly

Chartreuse Venetian with Handles and Leaves, 2015, 20 x 15 x 9"
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SEE THE PROCESS

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“I started the series with the simple idea of replicating these strange Art Deco vases, but I hoped that it would go somewhere else, somewhere bizarre.”

–Chihuly

Martin Blank, Lino Tagliapietra, Chihuly, and Benjamin Moore, Van de Kamp Building, Seattle, 1988

Tradition with a twist

Inspired by Italian glass of the Art Deco period, Chihuly teamed up with Italian maestro glassblower Lino Tagliapietra. He wanted to take traditional methods to another level, seeing what serendipity might come with the addition of free-spirited spontaneity.

Dale Chihuly, California College of Arts and Crafts, Oakland, California, 1989

Daydreaming on paper

Chihuly typically drew what he wanted Tagliapietra to create, starting with watercolor and graphite sketches of classical forms with several handles. When he switched to charcoal, the drawings became bolder and the pieces more extreme: “Handles changed to knots, prunts became claws, colors went from subtle to bright, and forms from symmetrical to asymmetrical.”

Gold and Plum Piccolo Venetian with Purple Handles, 2002 by Dale Chihuly

Gold and Plum Piccolo Venetian with Purple Handles, 2002, 10 x 11 x 5"
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Diva Blue and Silver Piccolo Venetian with Red Handles, 1998 by Dale Chihuly

Diva Blue and Silver Piccolo Venetian with Red Handles, 1998, 10 x 7 x 7"
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SEE THE PROCESS: PICCOLO VENETIANS

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