Surprisingly, the most famous Murano glassmaking company owes its name to a Milanese lawyer, Paolo Venini, who founded it in 1921 together with Venetian antiquarian Giacomo Cappellin. Since the beginning, their ambitious project was to change the traditional schemes of glassmaking, embracing avant-garde and letting the spectacular gestures of their master artisans be inspired by collaborations with some of the most talented artists, architects and designers of the world. Over the course of a century, the Fornace (furnace) Venini in Murano saw the birth of unique creations - iconic collection pieces or masterpieces specifically conceived for prestigious locations worldwide - which marked a revolution for the world of glassmaking.

©Orsenigo Chemollo

The list of contributors who came after the first Art Director Vittorio Zecchin is impressive and includes Giò Ponti, Carlo and Tobia Scarpa, Franco Albini, Piero Fornasetti, Vico Magistretti, Marco Zanuso, Paolo Portoghesi, Alessandro Mendini, Ettore Sottsass, just to name a few. A century of creativity, experimentation and artistic contamination, beautifully expressed in the 125 shades of the Venini palette of colours.

©Orsenigo Chemollo