Elio Raffaeli (b. 1936) Murano Uovo aquarium vase 8 x 6″ signed on bottom $1100

A beautiful example of the Murano master’s work!

Born in Venice in 1936 to a Muranese family, Elio Raffaeli lived and studied on the Island of Murano, the glassblowing capital of Venice. At the age of fifteen, he was hired by the Seguso-Dalla Venezia glass factory where he made the acquaintance of Piero Scaramal, his first master. There he was taught the basic secrets of the magic art of Murano. Raffaeli worked with Scaramal for seven years, first as a garzone and subsequently as first assistant, maturing both as a person and as a glassblower.

Misfortunes at the Seguso-Dalla Venezia factory compelled him to move to another prestigious firm, Salviati. Here Raffaeli refined his capabilities as a glass master, perfecting both the techniques of blowing delicate glass pieces and those of making solid glass sculpture.

In 1966 he moved on to a newly formed factory, Briati, where he was hired as a master and given a piazza. Here he began to interpret with balanced precision the designs of the famous Flavio Poli. Next Raffaeli went to work with Livio Seguso, one of the great 20th century sculptors, where he forged a working relationship and friendship with the young Roberto Cammozzo.