A Pleasing Piece of Venice
My wife Ruth and I have on a glass table in our home, a very beautiful piece of ornamental glass. It was fabricated by one of the Murano masters of the glass blowing art. Sadly, he died a few years ago, which makes our possession of one of his works the more precious.
It adds a fine elegance to our lounge. I take great pleasure in looking at its varied reflections of light and the patterns of its green, blue and yellow colourings.
It is a fine example of the Murano glass -blowers artistry, a special component of the many-faceted life of Venice. Thousands of tourists visit Murano day after day, yet I wonder if they discover what the island is really about. Unless you take the opportunity of visiting a glass-blower's furnace, visit the gallery of one of the leading artisans, and read something of the history of the establishment of Murano as Venice's centre for the beauty of glass making, you can only have a shallow experience of this massively interesting place.
Immerse yourself in its furnaces, galleries and history and you will find that one fleeting visit is insufficient for you. You will return again and again, learning more each time and deepening your love of this place of glass miracle workers.
Put Venice and its glass blowing island on your list of places to learn about, then visit with an informed mind.
It will be the beginning of a Venetian love affair.
Two chapters of "Unpacking Italy" are devoted to Venice.
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