One of Twenty-Three Sheets of Drawings of Glassware (Mirrors, Chandeliers, Goblets, etc.) 1850 - 1880

This sheet of drawings of glassware, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, was made by the Compagnia di Venezia e Murano sometime between 1872 and 1909, using pencil and watercolor. The image displays the design for a glass bottle, seemingly for water or wine, as handwritten on the top left corner. The linear quality of the drawing helps to convey its texture, weight, and form. The design reflects the techniques and traditions of glassmaking that have been central to the identity of Venice for centuries. These designs, though on paper, evoke the heat and labor involved in glass production. The intense physical demands and specialized knowledge of glassmaking have shaped the social and cultural landscape of Murano. This particular work, therefore, is tied to wider issues of labor, politics, and consumption, and the enormous amount of work involved in the production process. Paying attention to the materials, the making, and the social context, therefore, brings us to a fuller understanding of this drawing, and challenges the traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.