Lost in a Galss of Water: From Venetian goblets to Fabrizio Plessi

Goblets and Murano Glass

Among the oldest and most distinctive Murano glass creations—such as chandeliers, vases and beads—there are also goblets and drinking glasses. Over the centuries, this theme has taken on countless variations: shapes, colors, decorations, and functions have highly evolved with the passing of time.

Following the ambitions of glass masters, the desires of patrons, and later artistic experimentation, the history of the glass is rich and diverse.

Standing out among these creations is the tipetto. The name itself suggests a particular and eclectic character: these are glass goblets with slender, richly decorated stems. Spiraled forms, small naturalistic sculptures, floral details, and intertwined shapes—these are just a few of the thousand creative variations that adorn Venetian tipetti.

Venetian Goblets – Tipetti: A Social Language

The tipetto has ancient origins, deeply rooted in Murano’s long glassmaking tradition. Its highly varied appearance and technically demanding production—each piece is hand-blown, shaped, and then assembled while hot—made this goblet a symbol of luxury, wealth, and nobility.

From the very beginning, the tipetto appeared on ceremonial tables during the most important occasions. In the great noble courts, displaying goblets of such complexity was a sign of opulence and grandeur.

Catherine de’ Medici (1519–1589), wife of King Henry II of France, introduced the use of Venetian tipetti to the French royal court, spreading their fame beyond Italy.

The tipetti thus became a language of status, typical of Italian courts, where owners would subtly showcase their wealth and lineage to their guests. Those who could afford such luxury—even in an everyday object like a drinking glass—clearly possessed wealth and power worthy of respect.

In this sense, the tipetto’s practical function faded away, giving way to a symbolic and representational role. The glass became almost impossible to use as a vessel; it transformed into a delicate sculpture carrying a precise social message.

“Getting Lost in a Glass of Water”: Fabrizio Plessi in Murano

Today, goblets and glasses of this kind are mainly sought after by collectors and enthusiasts. Yet the concept of the glass as sculpture, and the artistic and creative reinterpretation of this object, continues to inspire fascinating works even today.

This is the case with the exhibition “Perdersi in un bicchier d’acqua” (“Getting Lost in a Glass of Water”) by Fabrizio Plessi, open from November 21 to June 21, 2026 in the Sala dell’Acqua of Palazzo Barovier & Toso.

Fabrizio Plessi, one of the most important pioneers of video art, has always explored themes of fluidity, water, and liquid surfaces. In this exhibition, he approaches the world of glass, reinterpreting the form of the drinking glass—hence the play on words of title.

The artist plays with the archetypal forms of bottles and glasses, turning them into purely sculptural works. The functional aspect of the glass completely disappears, giving way to a conceptual interpretation of the fluidity of both glass and water.

The liquid movement is solidified into a dynamic blue-glass form, a complex interplay of transparency, light, and overlapping layers. Everything is set within an immersive environment filled with water sounds and images—Plessi’s unmistakable stylistic signature.

After many years experimenting with materials such as wood and stone, as well as pioneering the use of new technologies, Plessi employs glass for the first time in his art.

This marks a deeply personal journey, in which the artist approaches the material by overcoming emotional hesitations. In fact, at the end of the exhibition, to seal the personal nature of this work, Plessi presents an installation he describes as his self-portrait.

Between Past and Present

The story of the glass, then, is one of renewal—a continual reinterpretation of the past that offers new keys to understanding the present and the future.

What remains constant is the certainty that this is no ordinary object: something that, from a tool of daily life, becomes a work of art and a creative means to explore both social and personal messages.

Editor and Communication Manager: Serena Andreucci
Content Writer and Translator:  Giuditta Fornasari and Serena Andreucci