Liz reports on a Literary Lunch with Tracy Chevalier

My local independent book shop recently held a literary lunch with guest speaker Tracy Chevalier. She talked to us about her latest book, The Glass Maker and  about Murano.

It was her second event of the day.

Tracy had already given a talk at the fabulous Design Gallery in Edenbridge, where there was display of the valuable Murano glass beads that are at the heart of The Glass Maker. More than 100 of us gathered for the lunch and she went on to a third event in Hastings that evening.

Murano glassmaking

Glassmaking was so valuable to the Venetian Republic that in 1291 the glassmakers were moved to the island of Murano. This was to protect their secrets from foreign powers.

The glassmakers’ guild supported them and they received many privileges and honours.

Murano’s glassmakers were some of the island’s most prominent citizens. By the fourteenth century they had the right to wear swords and enjoyed immunity from prosecution by the Venetian state. The downside was that glassmakers could not leave the Republic.

Murano glass beads

Image by Inga Klas from Pixabay

There is so much history to unpack in the story of Murano and glass.

The first glass beads produced in the Venetian Republic were most likely for rosaries. An ancient document records that the city exported a large quantity of them in 1338.

In 1470 Venetian artisans started to create hollow cylindrical glass canes which were cut and refined by grinding or heating.

The canes made it much easier to make glass beads and led to the re-discovery of  techniques used by the Romans, including Sommerso, gold and silver leaf, and copper-infused avventurina.

In the 15th century Venetian glassmasters re-discovered the Millefiori technique and started to make Millefiori beads, which were used in jewellery, bowls, vases, interior embellishments, but most importantly as currency to trade with places as far away as North America and Africa.

Reputedly, Christopher Columbus used the beads as payment to make his way through difficult passages and for goods. On a darker note, vast quantities were shipped to West Africa through Lisbon and Liverpool to be used in the slave trade.

There were only 24 glassmaking factories on Murano in 1525, but the trade became so important to the Republic that by 1606 this number had increased to 251.

Women and Glass

Fuelled by commercial success, innovation in bead-making continued. In the 16th century the lampworking method of glassmaking was established, which eventually became very popular among glassmakers. This method allowed them to produce beads by using small animal-fat lighted flames. They could now work everywhere, even at home. That was particularly convenient for women who were not allowed to enter the glass furnaces.

The most famous of Venetian Millefiori beads is the Rosetta bead (aka Chevron bead) – a prized bead invented in 1480 by Marietta Barovier, the daughter of Angelo Barovier. He was honoured for his development of clear glass, a technique which he called crystal glass or Venetian crystal.

Working at home, and using the lamp technique, Marietta focused on enamel decorations and developed new models of glass beads. Her skill prompted the Doge Agostino Barbarigo to allow her to use a small furnace for her decorated glass pieces.

Bad times for Venetian glass-makers

After Napoleon’s defeat of Venice in 1797, the Venetian glassmaking industry suffered and declined. Other glassmaking centres, most notably in Bohemia, used Venetian knowledge to establish their own industry. Production of high-quality crystal became established in the region, including the world-famous Swarovski.

Venice did not, however, lose its significance.

In late 19th and early 20th century, the Venetian glassmaking industry experienced a revival with many of the old techniques brought back to life.

Specialist firms such as Salviati, Borovier and Toso, and Moretti, established by the old glassmaking dynasties, led to the revival of the industry. In 1886 alone one company, Ferro & Marinetti, received an order for 251,000 Rosetta beads.

Today, Murano’s famous glass beads are unequalled for their amazing illustrious colours, elaborate designs and exceptional polish.

The Glass Maker

It was fascinating to hear Tracy Chevalier talk about the conception of her book. A man at a book signing urged her to write about Murano. His passion was evident and her normal response would be “Why don’t you write it yourself?”

But this man had already written books on the subject. He gave them to her and she later used them in her research.

There was the woman who asked her when she was going to set a book in Italy. Finally, on a research trip on a cold, wet day in England, her husband asked her when she was going to set a book somewhere they would enjoy visiting.

At that point she took down the books she’d been given about Murano. It took several years because Covid delayed her research. But, finally, the story of Orsola Rosso, a young woman inspired by Marietta Barovier, made its appearance.

Orsola, attempting to save her family from ruin, makes her beads in secret. It’s the start of a journey through the centuries of glassmaking.

Time is fluid is this book. It’s fiction, as is the Rosso family, but real people appear as we follow Orsola and her brother Marco through the centuries, creating beads to adorn the necks of empresses and courtesans.

Tracy read a piece from her book for us. Set in the early 20th century, an imagined encounter with a famous Venetian character held us spellbound.

My signed first edition with its beautiful sprayed edges will remain safely on the bookshelf. Meanwhile I’ll read the copy I’ve downloaded onto to my Kindle.

Liz