Discovering this Timeless Art: An Insider’s Look
The art of (Venetian) Murano glass bead making is a treasure trove of history, craft, and culture that dates back to the 13th century. Beyond the allure of Murano’s famed glass, these Venetian beads hold a unique legacy shaped by centuries of trade, cultural exchange, and artistry. Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with Cordelia Salter, a bead collector and expert researching the cross-continental bead trade, with a focus on Africa and Europe.
Cordelia’s journey with (Venetian) Murano glass beads began during her time in Ghana in the late 1990s. Immersed in local markets, she discovered a vibrant, centuries-old bead trade that connected the rich history of Venetian glass with West Africa’s demand for these intricate adornments. As we explored her knowledge of this tradition, I gained fascinating insights into how (Venetian) Murano glass beads evolved into coveted treasures across the African continent.
About Cordelia
Cordelia Salter is an amateur bead collector who is currently researching for a book “Africa and the Great European Bead Boom: An Investigation”. When living in Ghana in the late nineties she put together a collection of beads that were used in the bead trade. She also met many bead traders who spend their lives traveling all over West Africa searching for rare and hard to find beads.
Cordelia is also a business mentor and coach for women entrepreneurs.
The Origins of Murano Glass (Venetian) Bead Making
Venetian glassmaking started in the 7th century, initially producing stained glass for religious buildings. By the late 1200s, Venice had become renowned for glasswork, attracting artisans from all over Europe. However, the hazards of glassmaking—fires and toxic fumes—led Venetian authorities to move all glassmakers to Murano, the island just north of Venice. This created a concentrated hub of glass production, and Murano quickly gained a reputation for producing exquisite glassware and beads.
Venice’s dominance in Murano glass bead making wasn’t just about beauty; it was also a tightly regulated industry. By confining artisans to Murano, Venice maintained quality control and kept bead-making techniques a closely guarded secret.
From Murano to Africa: The Global Bead Trade
Beads became more than just adornments; they were valuable trade items. Venetian beads crossed the Sahara into West Africa long before the arrival of European colonists. By the 1300s, small quantities of these Murano glass beads found their way to African markets through trade routes stretching from Venice to Cairo. African middle classes and chiefs in West Africa quickly developed a taste for Venetian beads, desiring not just beads but particular colors, shapes, and sizes suited to their regional preferences.
With the arrival of European explorers and traders, beads began moving in larger quantities. This shift coincided with the rise of European colonization, when Venice tailored bead production specifically for African markets. European agents documented West African tastes, preferences, and even local bead-making traditions to ensure Venetian artisans could meet this demand.
Iconic (Venetian) Murano Glass Beads: Chevron and Millefiori
The Chevron Bead: Known as the “king of beads” in Africa, the chevron is a masterwork of Venetian craftsmanship, first developed in the 1500s. Each bead has layers—often seven—that create a star or rosette pattern. These beads were painstakingly crafted, with each layer molded, fused, and then sliced into individual pieces. Originally crafted only in blue with precise layering, they became a mark of power and were even considered to have magical properties.
The Millefiori (Thousand Flowers) Bead: Millefiori beads are famous for their intricate floral patterns, created by fusing colored rods of glass, slicing them, and applying these “Murani” pieces to plain glass bases. This complex process, invented by Venetian artisans, produced unique, vibrant designs with each bead—a technique still celebrated today. Like the chevron, the millefiori was highly prized in Africa and became synonymous with Venetian quality.
The Bead Trade’s Dark Side
As Cordelia explained, the European bead trade also intersected with darker histories, such as the transatlantic slave trade. As demand for beads increased, European artisans created massive quantities tailored for African markets, knowing that specific colors and designs would appeal to certain tribes. Sadly, this intense bead production was driven largely by the demand for trade items used in the slave trade. However, with the abolition of slavery and the onset of African independence, the bead trade shifted again, this time reviving African bead-making techniques and traditions.
How to Experience Murano Glass Beads in Venice Today
If you’re inspired to explore the rich tradition of Murano glass beads, Venice offers various reputable artisanal workshops, especially on Murano. While mass-produced imitations have flooded the market, authentic Murano glass beads are found in trusted shops and family-run artisanal studios on Murano Island. Artisans on Murano still work in glass workshops that are hundreds of years old, maintaining an extraordinary level of craftsmanship. Each family of bead makers often carries stories of the beads they’ve produced and the innovations they’ve contributed to Venetian glassmaking.
A Living Legacy
Murano glass bead-making techniques, particularly for chevron and millefiori, are now protected as part of UNESCO’s cultural heritage. African artisans continue to replicate Venetian styles, often with handmade or painted designs, bridging cultures and celebrating a global history of craftsmanship.
Whether you’re a jewelry lover or a history enthusiast, visiting Murano is an unforgettable journey into the past and present of Italian artistry. As Cordelia so eloquently put it, “Good design never dies.”
For a deeper dive into (Venetian) Murano glass bead making, the Murano island and the artisans in the area don’t miss my Subscriber-only newsletter tomorrow!
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