The Magic of Venetian Glass: Meet the Expert

Interesting online lecture from the Wallace Collection looking at the golden age of Venetian glass as part of their "Meet the Expert" series. 

Curator Suzanne Higgott talked us through the different styles of Venetian glass with wonderful illustrations from the Wallace Collection and elsewhere. She explained how the Renaissance glass makers tried to imitate natural minerals forms such as rock crystal and agate.

She also talked about how the city moved the glass makers to the island of Murano to keep their recipe a secret as well as to protect the main islands from fire due to the furnaces. She mentioned glass makers who were allowed to travel to other courts and how they adapted their designs when competition came from lead crystal and potash glass.

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