Meet Flavio Poli — The Savior of Murano Art You Know Today
Murano glass isn’t a stagnant art. The glassmaking style may have remained the same throughout the centuries but various techniques sure have emerged. One of the famously known techniques of Murano glass — Sommerso — made a breakthrough in the way glass is submerged and made.
And the one who championed this submerging technique is one and only Flavio Poli — an Italian glass artist. Let’s take a sneak peek at his life and contribution to Murano art.
Flavio Poli — Early Life
Flavio Poli, born in Chioggia in 1900, trained as a ceramist at Istituto d’Arte di Venezia. He began his work as a glass artist at a glass factory called Industrie Vetraie Artistiche Murano (IVAM) in 1929. He designed large glass sculptures, Novecento-style nude figures, urns, animals, and bowls.
He also worked for one of the famous glass firms called Barovier, Seguso, & Ferro in 1934. This firm was later known as Seguso Vetri d’Arte on the Island of Murano. He became a partner within three years of his joining and later became an appointed director of the firm.
Career Height
Poli designed and created complex lighting installations during his time at the company. He worked alongside Archimede Seguso. The 1950s was the height of his career as he devised a new style of Murano glassmaking.
The submerged glass technique involved overlapping various layers of glass using different colors and consistencies. His Sommerso hand-blown glass series earned the Compasso d’Oro prize award in 1954.
He was also awarded 5 Grand Prix at MilanTriennials in 1936, 1950, 1951, 1967, and 1960 for La Mescita and Lo Zodiaco glass panels. His glass series was demonstrated in Venice’s Biennale exhibitions and World Fair in Brussels.
Leaving Seguso
Flavio Poli left the firm in 1963. Later, he led an artistic glass division from 1964 to 1966 at the Societa Veneziana di Conterie e Cristallerie. He passed away in Venice in 1984. His artwork can be found in international museums around the world including Museo Boncompagni Ludovisi in Rome, Murano Glass Museum, MoMA in New York, and the National Gallery of Victoria in Austria.
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