FULVIO BIANCONI (ITALIAN 1915-1996) FOR VENINI
'FAZZOLETTO' VASE, DESIGNED c.1949
clear glass with zanfirico decoration
27.5cm high (10 3/4in high)
Private Collection, U.K.
One of Italy’s most famous post-war designers, Fulvio Bianconi (1915-1996) was an integral motivator in pushing the use of glass further than its purely utilitarian purposes. Best known for his colourful vases, pitchers and bowls Bianconi looked to evoke the visual effect of abstract art. A sculptor of Murano glass, he was one of the first artists to represent the material in a human form, intending to add a sensuality to the object which echoed that of modern conceptual painting. Bianconi took inspiration primarily from the female silhouette, an influence for one of his most famous works the 1950 ‘bikini vase’. In moulding these abstract forms great attention was paid to the curvature and shape of the glass, materialising in striking yet simple pieces. When considering colour, Bianconi’s pieces adopted a multi-colour patchwork effect comparable to that of the stained glass found in gothic cathedrals. To create this effect the glass was first blown before being rolled over panels of coloured glass which would stick to the hot body, thus producing dynamic layers of mixed shades. Previously described as a making ‘patchwork of light’, the exceptional complexity of this process ensured the rarity of such items, increasing the individuality of Bianconi’s works. The pairing of vivid colour with dynamic irregular shapes gave the works a light-hearted atmosphere and enticing aesthetic, unrestricted by the traditional artisan principles of glass design.