Assembled over the course of several decades, this collection is the first of its kind to be presented at auction and includes some of the most famous post-war designs by Massimo Vignelli, Paolo Venini, and Fulvio Bianconi. The timing of this auction is also exciting as it comes on the heels of the exhibition Venini Luce 1921-1985 at Stanze del Vetro in Venice, curated by Marino Barovier. Many of the works included in the auction are illustrated in the accompanying exhibition catalog.
The design and fabrication of lighting is crucial in the history of Murano glass. All major furnaces produced fixtures for both public and private use and these highly successful efforts allowed each company to devote resources to their limited-edition artistic endeavors. The preponderance of inventive lighting fixtures in theaters, hotels, banks, and public buildings captured the public’s imagination and brought attention to the designers responsible for their production. In addition to several examples by Massimo Vignelli for Venini, this impressive offering features lighting from Studio BBPR, Luciano Vistosi, Toni Zuccheri, Giorgio Ferro, Franco Luce, and more.
Venini is a world-renowned Italian lighting company that has played a significant role in the evolution of glass art and design. Founded in 1921 by Paolo Venini and Giacomo Cappellin in Murano, an island near Venice known for its glassmaking traditions, the company quickly established itself as a leader in the field of artistic glasswork. Initially known as V.S.M. Cappellin Venini & Co., the name was shortened to Venini & Co. in 1925 after Cappellin departed the firm. Although early designs drew heavily upon traditional Venetian techniques, Venini shifted into a much more innovative, modern direction when Paolo Venini took over complete control thereafter.
_1688675374.jpg "Paolo Venini for Venini, Important A Dame vase, model 3644")
During the 1930s, under Paolo Venini's guidance, Venini embraced modernist influences, incorporating streamlined and geometric designs into its glasswork. This approach resonated with the Art Deco movement and contributed to Venini's growing reputation as an avant-garde glass manufacturer. Throughout the mid-20th century, Venini would collaborate with an array of prominent architects, designers, and artists, including Carlo Scarpa, Tobia Scarpa, Gio Ponti, Fulvio Bianconi, Massimo Vignelli, and many others. These partnerships resulted in the creation of unique and groundbreaking glass forms that showcased the mastery of Venini's glassblowers and the artistic vision of the designers.
Venini became increasingly celebrated over time for its distinct glass techniques, such as incalmo, which involves fusing two or more blown glass pieces of different colors together, and pulegoso, which creates a bubbled effect in the glass. These methods, combined with the artistic vision of the designers, enabled the production of stunning lighting fixtures, vases, sculptures, and other glass objects.
"Called upon in 1953 to deal specifically with lighting, around the middle of the decade the young [Massimo] Vignelli designed a great number of serial lamps (pendant, table and wall) inspired by Nordic design, which he reinterpreted using the techniques and colours of Murano." — Marino Barovier
_1688676139.jpg "Massimo Vignelli for Venini, Zaffiro or Fungo (Mushroom) table lamp, Compasso d'Oro award-winning design at the Biennale of Venice, 1956")
_1688675911.jpg "Massimo Vignelli for Venini, Pendant lamps model 4035, set of three")
As Venini's reputation grew internationally, the company presented its creations in numerous exhibitions and museums worldwide. Venini's commitment to quality and innovation earned it several prestigious awards, including the Compasso d'Oro at the Biennale of Venice in 1954 and 1956. After Paolo Venini's death in 1959, his wife, Laura de Santillana, and later his son-in-law, Ludovico Diaz de Santillana, took over the company's leadership. They continued to uphold the high standards of artistic collaboration and experimentation, ensuring Venini's continued success and influence in the world of glass art and design.
Today Venini remains one of the most prestigious glassmaking companies in the world. Its creations may be found in various notable museums, galleries, and private collections. After over a century, the beauty, craftsmanship, and artistic expression embodied in Venini works continue to captivate. Venini's dedication to preserving the Venetian glassmaking traditions while pushing the boundaries of the medium has solidified its place as a true icon in the realm of art glass and lighting design.
Massimo Vignelli 1931–2014
Born in 1931, Massimo Vignelli was first introduced to the all-encompassing world of design through the architecture office of Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, where he worked as a draftsman at the age of sixteen. He studied architecture in Milan and Venice and shortly thereafter expanded his professional interests to include graphic design. In 1965, he immigrated to the United States and co-founded Unimark International Corporation. That same year, he was appointed head of graphic design and advertising for Knoll International.
Lella Vignelli (née Valle) was born in Udine, Italy in 1934. She studied architecture in Udine and Venice before receiving a fellowship at MIT. She worked in the interiors department at Skidmore Owings & Merrill for two years before returning (with Massimo) to Milan when her visa expired. Back in Italy, Lella created showroom interiors and exhibition displays for several companies, including Olivetti.
In 1960, Massimo and Lella Vignelli opened the Lella and Massimo Vignelli Office of Design and Architecture in Milan, expanding their practice to the United States just five years later. They established Vignelli Associates in New York in 1971 and focused on multifaceted projects from industrial and furniture design to graphic design and corporate branding and much more. Throughout their prolific careers, the duo, both together and individually, influenced many designers around the globe.
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Photographs from the Polaroid Collection
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