Corrosi, no. 4102

Between 1932 and 1947, Carlo Scarpa worked closely with Paolo Venini and other master glassblowers to pioneer techniques, silhouettes, and colors that thoroughly modernized the ancient traditions of the glass-making Venetian island Murano. New methods of surface decoration were invented and each vessel is named for the techniques employed in their making, emphasizing the fact that experimentation was crucial to producing such a dazzling array of visual and material effects.

Meaning corroded, corrosi is a cold working technique that uses hydrofluoric and sulphuric acid in solution to give the glass an irregular surface texture. Changes in temperature, the amount of time the glass is exposed to the acid bath, and the composition of chemical agents can lead to a variety of effects. Areas of the glass that are to be kept smooth and bright can be covered with wax or paraffin prior to submersion. Ultimately, this method yields an inconsistent surface texture that both diffuses and reflects light for a fluctuating, iridescent effect. Although the simplified form of this piece takes its cue from modernist design principles, Corrosi gives the piece a sense of antiquity in spite of its twenty-first century production.