By Ermanno Nason
Located in St. Louis, MO
Master Italian Glass Artisan Ermanno Nason (1928-2013) created this smoked glass young female bust with ponytail sculpture in 1975. The only other example I found in my research was in his own gallery /museum, now temporary closed. Some minor surface scratches, mainly to bottom. Etched signature E. Nason '75 to base.
Ermanno Nason was born in Murano in, from one of the oldest families of glassmakers on the island and appeared at his father Italo’s furnace at the age of ten. Ermanno left elementary school spending his time between the furnace and the school for Apprentices Masters “Abate Zanetti” (managed by Professor Vittorio Zecchin) and made his first experiences in more realities, including Pinzan & Cimarrosti where he was proclaimed Master at age of eighteen.
In his youth, Ermanno also worked at the Mazzega I.V.R. collaborating on the great project of Egidio Costantini, which contemplated extraordinary artists of various types brought together: painters, sculptors and master glassmakers, to whom, in 1958, Jacques Cocteau gave the name of “Fucina degli Angeli”.
This experience gave him the opportunity to start his personal search and the opportunity to meet with renowned painters and sculptors. Ermanno worked with all the greatest contemporary artists, from Marc Chagall to Oscar Kokoschka, from Pablo Picasso to Renato Guttuso, from Jacques Cocteau to Braque, from Jan Arp to Max Ernst, from Autun Motika to Alexander Calder.
From 1953 to 1959 he was at I.V.R. Mazzega , assigned to carry out artists' designs for Egidio Costantini 's Fucina Degli Angeli , including ones by Georges Braque , Marc Chagall , Jean Cocteau , Pablo Picasso , and Gio Ponti.
Around 1955 begins to collaborate with the Yugoslavian sculptor and painter Antun Motika, also the Kristal-Samobor glasworks in Maribor. Then he carried out designs by the painter Aldo Bergamini, which are exhibited in Warsaw in 1965.
From 1958 collaborates with Fulvio Bianconi . During 1959-61 had his workshop in Murano Campo San Bernardo; continues for Bianconi, Costantini and Motika, as well as for Raoul Goldoni, among others.
He has been partner in and designer at the Scarpa & Nason factory for utilitarian glass.
From 1964 to 1971 he has been first master glassblower at Gino Cenedese . Makes works based on his own designs and in close collaboration with the leading designer Antonio Da Ros .
In 1969 he carries out monumental glass sculptures...
Category
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ermanno Nason
