HISTORY OF VENETIAN MIRRORS

Glassmakers in Italian Venice were the first mentioned towards the end of the 10th century already. But greater boom was observed not sooner than in the 13th century. At just that time all glassworks were evacuated to the near island of Murano. Through richly colored gothic style the Venetian glassmakers gradually achieve more accomplished techniques. The shapes of Venetian glass from the 16th century came out from natural manipulation with a glass bubble. The decoration made by sealing-in, melting down or splitting the applied glass fibers is produced at the glass furnace white-hot.

The history of Venetian glass would not be complete if it did not mention mirrors, which from 15th to 17th century were considered the best in Europe. Blowing into cylinders made them. The frames were made by glassmakers themselves and this is the origin of the so called Venetian mirror, that is a baroque mirror in a glass frame from plastically cut leaves, which is kept in Museo Vetrario in Murano. The Venetian design considerably influenced the production of more simply cut and engraved Czech mirrors from the second half of the 18th century.