Artist: Dale Chihuly
Title: Rose Quartz Pink Macchia with Cobalt Blue Lip Wrap
Size: 16.75"H x 20.5"W x 19.5"D
Inscription: Signed "Chihuly 1985"
Year: 1985
Documentation: Includes Gallery Certificate of Authenticity
A radiant example from Dale Chihuly's iconic Macchia series, "Rose Quartz Pink Macchia with Cobalt Blue Lip Wrap" exemplifies the artist's mastery in both form and color. Created in 1985, this piece showcases Chihuly's distinctive approach to manipulating molten glass to achieve organic, asymmetrical forms that seem to defy gravity while celebrating the unpredictability of the medium.
The vessel's undulating, flower-like silhouette is accentuated by a glowing palette of rose quartz pinks, violets, and soft whites. These tones are punctuated by flecks of lavender and gold, adding depth and energy to the surface. A bold cobalt blue lip wrap delivers a striking contrast that anchors the composition and highlights the ruffled edge—a hallmark of Chihuly's Macchia work. The complex interior coloration, visible through the semi-translucent exterior, speaks to the layered glassblowing process in which white glass is applied between inner and outer color layers to heighten vibrancy.
This particular Macchia is signed and dated by the artist and includes a gallery certificate of authenticity, offering collectors an early and significant example of one of Chihuly's most celebrated series. At over 20 inches wide, it commands attention with its sculptural presence and painterly brilliance, standing as a testament to Chihuly's revolutionary impact on contemporary glass.
Both intimate and dramatic, "Rose Quartz Pink Macchia with Cobalt Blue Lip Wrap" embodies Chihuly's ongoing exploration of light, transparency, and movement—inviting viewers to experience the emotional and visual resonance of glass as fine art.
About Dale Chihuly
Dale Chihuly (b. 1941) is a pioneering American artist whose visionary approach to glass has transformed the medium from craft to high art. Over the past five decades, Chihuly has become internationally celebrated for his monumental installations, vivid use of color, and innovative techniques that defy traditional glassblowing boundaries.
Born in Tacoma, Washington, Chihuly's early interest in design led him to study interior design at the University of Washington, followed by a Master of Fine Arts in glass from the Rhode Island School of Design. A pivotal moment came in 1968, when he received a Fulbright Fellowship to study glassblowing in Murano, Italy. There, he absorbed Venetian methods of team-based glass production—a concept that would deeply influence his collaborative studio approach.
Chihuly's large-scale works have become defining landmarks in contemporary art. His monumental Macchia series, which began in the early 1980s, is among his most iconic. With each Macchia—meaning "spot" in Italian—Chihuly experimented with explosive combinations of interior and exterior color, often finishing the undulating forms with a bold lip wrap. These large, painterly vessels can span several feet in diameter, transforming traditional vessel forms into sculptural expressions of color and light.
Beyond the Macchia, Chihuly is renowned for his massive site-specific installations. His Chihuly Over Venice project (1995–96) involved suspending enormous chandeliers over canals and piazzas, while Chihuly in the Light of Jerusalem (2000) drew more than a million visitors to the Tower of David Museum. His Fiori di Como (1998), a ceiling installation of more than 2,000 hand-blown glass elements, dazzles visitors at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas.
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