Tagliapietra Andrea

Born in Murano on February 7, 1955, Andrea Tagliapietra embodies the essence of the island’s glassmaking tradition. He began working with glass at the age of just 14 as an apprentice to master Ermanno Nason, following in the footsteps of his father Erminio, a respected master at the Salviati company. After an intense training journey, he became a glass master in 1979.
In 1980, he embarked on his own creative path, producing sculptures that stand out for their balance of form, color, and expressive depth. His works blend contemporary sensibility with ancient techniques, achieving a unique stylistic identity. He debuted in 1983 at the Bevilacqua La Masa Foundation in Venice with a sculpture dedicated to motherhood, thus beginning an exhibition career that would take him to international galleries from Vienna to Tokyo, including Palm Beach and New York.
Regarded as one of the greatest masters of solid glass and one of the few virtuosos of the chalcedony technique, Tagliapietra has revived and renewed this ancient art form. His creations evoke the beauty of precious stones such as agate and lapis lazuli, thanks to the skilled use of metallic oxides that give the glass iridescent effects and chromatic depth.
Famous are his series dedicated to Lovers and marine animals – dolphins, turtles, sharks – exemplary of an art that translates the energy of life into harmonious and vibrant forms. His sculptural poetics approach the research of great 20th-century masters like Henry Moore, Brancusi, and Jeff Koons.
Deeply committed to passing on his knowledge, Andrea Tagliapietra has mentored new talents such as master Mirco Bastianello, whom he regards as the heir to his artistic legacy.
Today, Tagliapietra is internationally recognized as one of the leading figures in contemporary Murano glass, capable of weaving together memory, material, and modernity with rare elegance.