MARBLE BASE MAZZEGA CUBE LAMP WITH MURANO OPAL GLASS SHADE

A petite table lamp made of opalescent Murano glass and chromed metal on a solid marble base. Possibly designed by Toni Zuccheri for I.V.R. Mazzega in the 1970s (the jury is deliberating).

TONI ZUCCHERI (1936–2008) was an Italian glassmaker and master Murano craftsman whose mid-century light fixtures and vases showcased a penchant for experimentation and exceptional skill with color and form. A lifelong passion for nature and animals played a role in his producing some of the finest modernist works in Murano glass history.

Zuccheri was born in 1936 in San Vito al Tagliamento near Venice. His father was the renowned painter Luigi Zuccheri (1904–1974), known for depictions of animals and nature as well as his friendship with proto-Surrealist Giorgio De Chirico (1888–1978). The son inherited the father’s love for animals—particularly birds—and his artistic talent, demonstrating an intuitive skill for drawing at an early age.

The family moved to Venice in 1945. At the city’s University Institute of Architecture, Zuccheri studied under esteemed Italian architects Franco Albini (1905–1977), Ignazio Gardella (1905–1999), and Carlo Scarpa (1906–1978). In the early 1960s, he turned his attention to glassmaking, working at Venini, the celebrated Murano furnace. There, in collaboration with prolific Italian architect and furniture designer Gio Ponti (1891–1979), he developed an innovative type of thick, sheet glass called Vetrate Grosse (thick stained-glass). It was formed from dense, vitreous glass paste mixed with mineral pigments, wire mesh, various metals, and assorted work-in-progress glass materials (e.g., murrine and shards of filigrana cane). Panels or blocks of Vetrate Grosse were presented in series—mounted in metal screens, after Ponti's design, and held in place by vertical slots.

At the 1964 Venice Biennale, Zuccheri exhibited a group of elaborate bird and farm animal sculptures. The birds were accented with gold leaf and included vibrantly-hued, guinea fowl-shaped works with murrine bodies, turkeys, owls, and hoopoes (colorful birds known for their crown of feathers). Zuccheri used an ingenious layering technique to create the feathers, while the realistic-looking legs and feet were made of bronze.

Apart from Venini, where his creations occupied a well-established position, Zuccheri crafted pieces for several other prominent Murano furnaces—including VeArt, Mazzega, De Majo, and Barovier & Toso. His intricate work was naturally costly and frequently straddled the line between decorative and fine art. It lives on today in galleries and private collections around the world. Zuccheri died in September 2008.

I.V.R. MAZZEGA had its origin in Romano Mazzega’s 1929 establishment of a glassworks on the island of Murano. The factory was run eponymously until 1937 when it was sold to Aurellino Toso (1884–1979), who used it briefly in his own firm’s operations. In 1938, along with his brothers Maria and Gino, Romano reclaimed the furnace and founded Fratelli Mazzega.

After WWII in 1950, the firm was reorganized as I.V.R. (Industrie Vetrarie Reunite, or United Industrial Glassworks) Mazzega. Four years later a collaboration began with the artists from la Fucina degli Angeli (the Forge of the Angels), the glass art movement founded by the master Egidio Costantini (1912–2007). The coalition's ranks included the cosmopolitan elite of European art: Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Gio Ponti, Jean Cocteau, Fulvio Bianconi, and Carlo Scarpa. I.V.R. Mazzega employed many great Murano masters and produced glass mainly on order.

Romano Muzzega's daughter Esperia, having succeeded to the firm's leadership, closed its operations in 1983.

DETAILS

Designer – TONI ZUCCHERI (attrib.)

Design Period/Year – 1970s

Maker – I.V.R. MAZZEGA

Production Period/Year – 1970s

Origin – ITALY

Styles/Movements – BAUHAUS; ITALIAN; MODERN

Materials – MURANO GLASS, MARBLE, CHROME

Colors – OFF-WHITE, ROSE, CHROME

Shade – INCLUDED

Power – UP TO 120V (US STANDARD), CORDED, TYPE “A” PLUG

Condition – Excellent vintage condition. May show minor signs of previous ownership and use.

Dimensions – 4 ¾" W × 4 ¾" D × 8 ½" H