L’opera dei ‘cristalleri’. Cristalli di rocca, diaspri, oreficerie e reliquie a Venezia (secc. XIII-XIV)

Abstract

The 13th century saw the rise of the multi-material art of the cristalleri, who, using imported rock crystal, created objects from cut or baccellato blocks, or applied thin sheets of crystal to miniatures (creating pseudo-enamels) or to embossed foils, mounted together with inserts of red jasper or with filigree. The precious objects thus created were both secular (including precious chess-sets) and religious (especially crosses and reliquaries). At the end of the 13th and throughout the 14th century the technique of translucent enamel was developed. No object with miniatures has survived in Venice, where only the Treasure of St Mark’s includes items connected with this specific Venetian art. It was thus principally designed for export, a product of the artistic (but also commercial) creativity of Venice, bringing together the fruits of the loot from Constantinople (relics) and imported minerals, and creating liturgical furnishings and luxury secular articles for a market that extended even beyond the con...