Acid Etched Murano Glass Mirror from Ongaro e Fuga, Italy, 1960s

Details

Description

Murano glass mirror, acid etched, Ongaro e Fuga, s. XX - Italy

Exceptional large mirror from the prestigious Italian brand … Read more Murano glass mirror, acid etched, Ongaro e Fuga, s. XX - Italy

Exceptional large mirror from the prestigious Italian brand Ongaro e Fuga. The structure is made up of a superposition of geometric shapes: first a rectangle with chamfered angles, a rectangle and, above it, a frame of curved (or mixtilinear) shapes both at the bottom and at the top, which ends with an exquisite tuft. All profiles are decorated with blue glass applications in the shape of a flower with six petals in a single piece, straight roped pieces and other decorative motifs. The intercales are etched with acid also following stylized plant shapes. Greater exuberance in the crest flower, with various bodies and leaves that frame it. Solid wood back.
Made with hand-blown glass on the island of Murano. Murano glass finds its origin in artisans who fled from Constantinople, who settled in the area of ​​Venice, their art achieving great social relevance in the 10th century. However, at the end of the 13th century, fires in factories, built of wood, were constant, so the authorities decided to order glassmakers to settle on the nearby island of Murano, so that possible fires would not affect the rest of the city. For centuries the art of glass has been preserved with great suspicion.
Glass is made of silica, which dissolves at high temperatures, between 1200 to 1400ºC until forming a paste. After reducing the temperature to 800°, the liquid glass is collected at the end of the blowpipe by one of the Master's assistants, the "servente". During this procedure, the "servant" rolls the pipe into the furnace, and then lifts it out of the vessel, rotating the pipe to remove any excess. The fumes derived from this process are highly toxic, so workers can only work for 25 years.
Various materials can be added to the top of the bubble, such as precious metal sheets, thin glass sticks or coloring pastes, for ornamental purposes. The glass is then stretched, crushed, pinched, ironed, scratched, elongated and cut. The masters rotate the glass on the pipes, forming symmetrical circles in the air, thus obtaining the desired shape, like the pieces of our mirrors. Once the piece is finished, it is annealed, gradually lowering the temperature to prevent the glass from exploding. Once cooled, the cold polishing phase begins.
Ongaro and Fuga
The Ongaro e Fuga firm has its origins in the marriage of Franco Fuga and Tulia Ongaro, both descendants of important Venetian artisans. Among this talented lineage, Angelo Fuga stood out, a glass master since the mid-19th century. Given the legacy of Angelo Fuga and a deep interest in keeping the Venetian artisan tradition alive, the couple founded the brand in 1954.
His career began with his specialization precisely in the treatment of glass to make mirrors. Over time, they have been innovating and incorporating new pieces (consoles, tables, cabinets\.) Currently, the firm is directed by the three sons of its founders, Bruno, Giuliano and Francesco, who have renewed the firm by combining modern techniques with traditional ones, in a kind of vindication of Venetian tradition and its techniques. In addition to this, today, the firm collaborates with other houses and artists, working with designs that range from the most traditional to the most modern. They stand out for their luxury, elegance, decorative profusion and attention to detail, all of this gives rise to absolute pieces of art, as unique as they are beautiful.

Material: Murano Glass
Signature: Ongaro e Fuga Murano
Period: 20th century
Country of origin: Murano, Italy
Minor faults that do not interfere with the overall vision of the whole (a small blue flower in the upper right corner)
Overall dimensions: 130 x 94 x 8 cm. I have official proof of authenticity such as vintage catalogs,
designer records,
or other literature sources and take full responsibility for any authenticity issues arising
from
misattribution See less