Everyone knows that one of the oldest and most renowned glass-processing traditions in the world is that of the island of Murano.
Venice, port of all maritime trade with the eastern shores of the Mediterranean, was already an important commercial crossroads in pre-Roman times and, from all the goods that came from the East, glass had a very important role.
Today Murano glass, thanks to collaborations with international artists, boasts one of the artistic crafts that is most related to the world of art and design, while retaining its traditional manual aspect, that the masters glass-blowers have jealously preserved and handed down with their amazing art in furnaces that are still used today.
Another place that is famous for its glass production is Altare in Liguria, where there are records of this activity taking place continuously since the eleventh century. Today, in addition to the work of some great artists, there are many products for daily use made from the typical clear glass and characterised by a great technical ability combined with creativity, imagination and accuracy.
Milan has plenty of historic and new workshops that carry out the traditional Lombard art crafts to the highest levels, often bringing it up to date with the design culture. This is the case of stained glass, which has a glorious history and has prominent artists, who also deal with the restoration of historical works, such as the beautiful stained glass windows of the Milan Cathedral.
There are numerous more or less complex techniques and many possible uses for glass: from furnishing to jewellery and bijoux.
Other important businesses related to this art can also be found in Turin, Florence, Perugia and Rome, where there is the Museum of Casina delle Civette among other things. Ateliers that often have more than a century of history and culture related to glass.