Stained Glass in Venice
Recently, I was commissioned to create a stained glass in Venice, a three-light stained glass window for a prominent building in Venice.
Venice is definitely one of the most fascinating and artistic cities in the world, and the idea of creating a stained glass window for a historic building in Venice delighted me.
The building in reference was Palazzo Barbarigo Nani Mocenigo, which was built in the fifteenth century and formed part of the dowry for the daughter of Agostino Barbarigo, the 74th Doge of Venice.
Having been completely restored, and finished with antique furniture, tapestries and carpets, all of the highest quality, it will host one of the most luxurious hotels of the city, Hotel Nani Mocenigo Palace, and the hotel is going to be inaugurated in December 2017.
The stained glass design brief I was given for this three-mullioned window in Venice was for something geometric and not too decorative, as the window was to embellish a hall that was already highly decorative with frescoes and a majestic glass chandelier, made by the New Murano Gallery.
For this stained glass in Venice I immediately decided to use the famous Venetian spun roundels and a design that was in keeping with Venetian architecture. There are various types of glass roundels on the market, but for a stained glass window in Venice, only the finest authentic Venetian spun roundels blown by a furnace in Murano would do. After a long search, I found some masters blowers willing to help me.
For this commission, I chose to collaborate with Mondo Vetro Studio in Vicenza, who helped me by taking the templates for the arched windows that are typical of Venice, and to assist with the installation too.
Transporting the windows was undoubtedly original. The glass was taken to the local port of Venice, loaded onto a boat, and travelled up the Grand Canal and part of Giudecca Canal. It was a treat to admire so many beautiful Venetian palaces as well as the church of Santa Maria della Salute located near Palazzo Nani Mocenigo.
The installation of the sizeable three-mullioned windows, which were more than 8.5 meters square, was executed without a hitch, each panel had been reinforced with wrought iron bars with two circles, so as the bar would not spoil the window by cutting into the glass roundels.
I am also thrilled that I will continue working with Hotel Nani Mocenigo Palace as they are creating exhibition spaces for the artists and artisans who have collaborated with them to restore this building to its former glory.
