Marquiscarpa #99-16

Many of the glass designs that the Venetian architect Carlo Scarpa (1906–1978) made for Venini illustrate the relationship between glass and textiles, reflecting the ability of Venetian decorating techniques to create patterns ranging from subtle weaves to bold graphics through the use of multicolored filigrana (filigree glass) canes and murrine (mosaic glass). Inspired by Scarpa’s approach, Marquis developed complex designs for murrine. He created densely patterned surfaces for vessels based on ancient forms, such as these Marquiscarpas, named after Marquis and in honor of Scarpa. The craftsmanship of these objects is exquisite, and their construction is laborious and time-consuming. The inside of the base of the small, oval Marquiscarpa is gilded. The top of this vessel includes one of Marquis’s signature murrine: a tiny teapot.