45 - Chandelier; MAZZEGA, 1970s.

Chandelier; MAZZEGA, 1970s. Murano glass and gold-plated metal. Measurements: 100 x 40 x 40 cm. Made in Italy during the 1970s, this chandelier is built around an elegant brass structure from which numerous frosted and textured glass panels hang, suspended by thin chains and arranged on several levels. Its vertical composition creates a cascade of translucent elements that, when illuminated, take on a sculptural appearance. Each plate features an irregular, organic surface, moving away from rigid geometry to lend the piece a natural dimension. The 1970s were a particularly fruitful period for Italian lighting design. In contrast to the austerity of the modernism of previous decades, many designers explored more expressive forms, materials with a strong tactile presence, and compositions capable of transforming space. Glass took on a special prominence, and techniques associated with the Italian glassmaking tradition allowed for experimentation with surfaces, transparencies, and textures. Mazzega’s history dates back to 1946, when Angelo Vittorio Mazzega founded his company on the Venetian island of Murano, the historic center of artisanal glassmaking. Initially focused on the production of decorative objects, the firm evolved during the 1960s toward more experimental lighting, in keeping with the modernity of postwar Italian design. Its most celebrated period is closely linked to the designer Carlo Nason, with whom it collaborated from approximately 1965 to 1980. Nason explored the possibilities of blown glass through layered compositions, discs, organic forms, and opalescent volumes, creating lamps with a strong sculptural presence. In 1970, Mazzega published its first lighting catalog, reflecting the firm’s consolidation within the Italian design scene.