Luigi Onesto for Oball Studio

LUIGI ONESTO (Italy, 1935), for Oball Studio.
"Chinese couple". 1980.
In Murano glass, Sommerso technique.
Signature "Oball" engraved.
Measurements: 49 x 16 x 16 cm; 39 x 16 x 16 x 16 cm.

The elegant vessels, bottles and sculptures of Onesto as the Chinese couple shown here have been made using a technique called sommerso, which incorporates layers of different colors. The figures, in blown Murano glass, combine clear, purple and ruby blue glass.

Luigi Onesto was born in Murano into a family of glassmakers. At the age of 15 he began learning the secrets of glass as an apprentice at Gambaro & Poggi, one of the oldest and most famous glass factories on the island. In 1978, he founded his glass art studio, Vetreria Artistica Oball.