Artist: Dale Chihuly
Title: Midnight Blue Piccolo Venetian with Red Feather II
Medium: Handblown glass
Size: 28 1/2"h x 13” x 9”
Year: 1999
Inscription: Signed "Chihuly PP 99"
Condition: Very good condition overall, request a full condition report for details
Documentation: Includes Gallery Certificate of Authenticity
A splendor of color and shape, “Venetians” is one of the most popular Chihuly glass series to date. Conceived in 1988 in a collaboration between Dale Chihuly and Italian master glassblower Lino Tagliapietra, it marked a shift away from simple, natural form and a journey into a more opulent, artistic world of glass. The main novelties were the added glass elements - pieces of glass attached to the basic form, often in different colors and elaborate in shape.
Directly inspired by Venetian glass art from the Art Deco period, “Venetians” grew into something grander, an affluent body of work that celebrates the artistry and the material alike.
“Midnight Blue Piccolo Venetian with Red Feather” is the typical piece for the series. A simple conic form executed in deep purple and blue translucent hues is embellished with a fiery red feather, attached to its peak. It’s a visceral tribute to the eclectic culture of Venice, to its colors and atmosphere, just as it’s a unique piece of glasswork, a wonderful piece for every Chihuly collection.
“Midnight Blue Piccolo Venetian with Red Feather” is signed "Chihuly PP 99" and comes with a gallery certificate of authenticity.
About Dale Chihuly
One of the most famous contemporary glass artists in the world, Dale Chihuly is best known for his monumental sculptures and installations. He is the name behind the spectacular ceiling at the Bellagio’s flower garden in Las Vegas and the creator of the Rotunda Chandelier at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Glassworks of Dale Chihuly are considered some of the most desired collectibles between the decorative arts devotees today. Despite his initial indifference towards education, Chihuly has spent a lot of time in school, obtaining both scientific and artistic degrees in sculpture from prestigious graduate schools. He displayed a proclivity for interior design and craft early on, but his true passion was always in the glass. He was a Fulbright Fellow in the late 1960s and an apprentice at the Venini Glass Factory in Venice. Mastering the art of Murano glasswork, he continued the experiments with glassblowing and thus became one of the people who brought the ancient art of glassblowing back into the spotlight on an international scale.
Monumental and small-scale artwork of Dale Chihuly is present in over 200 most renowned decorative art collections today, while the artist holds twelve honorary doctorates!
The most illustrious series in his work are Cylinders and Baskets he created in the 1970s; Macchia, Venetians and Persians from the 1980s, Niijima Floats and Chandeliers created in the 1990s; and a more recent one, Fiori from the 2000s.
For over 30 years, Dale Chihuly has been acting as an artistic director of his team of craftsmen, since he was incapacitated in two accidents, which left him blind in one eye and incapable of holding the blowing tube. This change allowed him to see the possibilities of glasswork on a much broader scale, while still maintaining his recognizable style.