UMBERTO BELLOTTO (1882-1940)

Umberto Bellotto is an exceptional figure amongst the artists and craftsmen active in Venice in the first half of the 20th century. The son of a blacksmith, Bellotto inherited the family business when he was only 19 years old and immediately embarked on a journey of experimentation that led to the creation of exquisitely crafted pieces. The present lot is an outstanding example of his eclectic and pioneering vision whereby two of the most antithetic elements, metal and glass, are combined in perfect harmony. In Bellotto's hands the wrought-iron is transformed into a light and flawless frame that perfectly complements the magnificent glass insert created by Vetreria Artistica Barovier. Bellotto's importance lies in his effortless talent to synthesize a purely artistic approach with highly skilled craftsmanship, becoming a major interpreter of the cultural and artistic ideas circulating in Venice at that time.

Related examples are in the permanent collections of the Fondazione Carraro, Ca’ Pesaro, Venice, the Museo del Vetro, Murano, Venice and the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York. A related chandelier is in the permanent collection of the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, New York.