153 - ARCHIMEDE SEGUSO (Murano, 1909–1999).

ARCHIMEDE SEGUSO (Murano, 1909–1999). Sculpture. Murano glass. It bears an engraved signature and retains the manufacturer’s label “Archimede Seguso-Murano.” Measurements: 28 x 30 x 11.5 cm. A decorative sculpture depicting a female figure in the moment just before diving, with her body arched and her arms outstretched toward the water. The figure, crafted from transparent, colorless Murano glass, is set against a large wave of black glass, whose stylized crests form a base of great visual impact. The composition stands out for the contrast between the transparency and apparent lightness of the body and the solid, sculptural presence of the wave. The treatment of the curved forms, the purity of the polished surfaces, and the play of reflections lend the piece a marked sense of movement, elegantly capturing the dynamism of the gesture and the figure’s balance in space. The sculpture reflects the technical mastery and formal sensibility characteristic of the Murano glassmaking tradition. Archimede Seguso, born in Murano in 1909, began working in a glass furnace at the age of eleven, gaining an early understanding of the secrets of a centuries-old artisanal tradition. He perfected his technique by studying and recreating historical models from the 18th century, and by the time he was in his twenties, he had already distinguished himself as a master glassmaker, particularly for his mastery of techniques applied to very thick glass. At the helm of the family-run Seguso Vetri d’Arte workshop, he collaborated with prominent designers, including Vittorio Zecchin and Flavio Poli, whose contributions helped solidify the firm’s prestige. Beginning in the 1930s, his creations were exhibited at the Venice Biennale in the section dedicated to Murano glass, where the workshop maintained a presence until 1972.