Antonio Salviati (18 March 1816 – 25 January 1890) was an Italian

glass Glass is a non-crystalline, often transparent, amorphous solid that has widespread practical, technological, and decorative use in, for example, window panes, tableware, and optics. Glass is most often formed by rapid cooling (quenching) of ...

manufacturer and founder of the Salviati family firm. Palazzo Salviati Canal Grande Venezia

Biography

A native of

Vicenza Vicenza ( , ; ) is a city in northeastern Italy. It is in the Veneto region at the northern base of the ''Monte Berico'', where it straddles the Bacchiglione River. Vicenza is approximately west of Venice and east of Milan. Vicenza is a th ...

, Salviati was a lawyer who became interested in glass work after participating in restorations being done on the mosaics of Saint Mark's Cathedral in Venice. He opened his first glass business in 1859 with Lorenzo Radi, and this firm produced the mosaic glass for the

altar screen A Dossal (or dossel, dorsel, dosel), from French ''dos'' (''back''), is one of a number of terms for something rising from the back of a church altar. In modern usage, it primarily refers to cloth hangings but it can also denote a board, often ...

for the

high altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in paganis ...

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...

. In 1876, he left this business to establish a new firm which executed the

mosaic A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...

decoration of the dome of

Aachen Cathedral Aachen Cathedral (german: Aachener Dom) is a Roman Catholic church in Aachen, Germany and the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Aachen. One of the oldest cathedrals in Europe, it was constructed by order of Emperor Charlemagne, who was buri ...

. The designs of this cathedral were based on the ideas of the Belgian architect Jean-Baptiste de Bethune. The Victorian period saw Salviati turn glass pieces, a former staple of wealth only enjoyed by a few, into ornamental pieces seen by millions throughout the homes and parlors of Italy. During 1866, Antonio Salviati founded ''Compagnia Venezia Murano'' with British diplomat and archaeologist

Austen Henry Layard Sir Austen Henry Layard (; 5 March 18175 July 1894) was an English Assyriologist, traveller, cuneiformist, art historian, draughtsman, collector, politician and diplomat. He was born to a mostly English family in Paris and largely raised in It ...

. Pauly & C. - Compagnia Venezia Murano has continued to be an important producer of Venetian art glass. Of particular historical relevance is the mosaic portrait of President Abraham Lincoln, which can be viewed today in the Senate House rooms in the United States, produced by Compagnia Venezia Murano and donated by Antonio Salviati in 1866.

Murano Murano is a series of islands linked by bridges in the Venetian Lagoon, northern Italy. It lies about north of Venice and measures about across with a population of just over 5,000 (2004 figures). It is famous for its glass making. It was on ...

had been a centre of fine glasswork since the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

(producing the glass that bore its name), but the pieces were lavish and expensive specialty pieces that only the wealthy could afford. Salviati changed the face of the business by becoming the first glass factory owner to employ a large number of skilled workers to mass-produce glass intended for export. The Victorian period saw Salviati turn glass pieces, a former staple of wealth enjoyed by a few, into ornamental pieces seen by millions throughout the homes and parlors of Italy. This re-established Murano as a centre for glass manufacture. Salviati died on 25 January 1890 in Venice, Italy.

Works in Europe

Salviati's work spread mainly to England and France, where his work was best associated with the architectural design style of these countries. His mosaics can be seen in many churches across these countries. His smaller, mass produced work, stayed relative to Italy being sold as retail.

Germany

Aachen

Berlin

Heringsdorf

Great Britain

Biggleswade

* Church of St Andrew in Biggleswade - a stone

reredos A reredos ( , , ) is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a church. It often includes religious images. The term ''reredos'' may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular architecture, for ex ...

decorated in 1881.

London

The chapel at

Fulham Palace Fulham Palace, in Fulham, London, previously in the former English county of Middlesex, is a Grade I listed building with medieval origins and was formerly the principal residence of the Bishop of London. The site was the country home of the ...

includes a reredos by Salviati depicting the nativity. The Palace including the chapel is open for free daily, from 10.30 - 17.00 (10.30 - 16.00 winter).

Dundee

www.saintpaulscathedral.net Mosaic reredos of Christ in glory in St Paul's Episcopal Cathedral

Durham

West Rainton West Rainton is a village in the civil parish of West Rainton and Leamside, in County Durham, England. It is situated between Durham and Houghton-le-Spring. Leamside is about to the west, and the south-western end of the village is known by the ...

St. Mary's Parish Church features a large reredos by Salviati. Salviati Reredos

Elsfield

St. Thomas of Canterbury church
Elsfield, has a Salviati mosaic of The Last Supper.

Liverpool

The church of St. Bridget with St. Thomas, Wavertree, has a Salviati mosaic of the Last Supper, dating from 1872.

Reading

All Saints Church

Reading, Berkshire Reading ( ) is a town and borough in Berkshire, Southeast England, southeast England. Located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the rivers River Thames, Thames and River Kennet, Kennet, the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 mot ...

, has a Salviati glass mosaic

depicting the Last Supper, that was installed in 1866.

Torquay

Mosaic work in the chancel of

St John's Church, Torquay The Church of St John the Apostle, Torquay, is a Grade I listed parish church in the Church of England Diocese of Exeter on Montpellier Road in Torquay, Devon. History The church started in 1823 as a chapel-of-ease to the parish church at Tormoha ...

installed in 1866.

Italy

Venice

Poland

Lodz

* Mosaic in Carl von Scheibler's palace, Lodz, Poland, 2 Zwycięstwa; now Museum of olishCinematography :pl:Muzeum Kinematografii w Łodzi and about C. Scheibler's palace

References

2. "Archived Copy". "Britannica Online. Retrieved 2016-10-2021 *Gable, Carl I., ''Murano Magic: Complete Guide to Venetian Glass, its History and Artists'' (Schiffer, 2004), p. 207. *"Antonio Salviati." ''Encyclopædia Britannica Online''. Encyclopædia Britannica, n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2016. Kovach, R. S. "Locations." The Salviati Architectural Mosaic Database:. Blogger, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.

External links

Official Site of Pauly & C. , CVM – Compagnia Venezia Murano
{{DEFAULTSORT:Salviati, Antonio Italian glass artists Venetian glass 1816 births 1890 deaths People from Vicenza Italian businesspeople