The Incalmo Glass Technique

The incalmo technique of making glass began in the sixteenth century when Italian glass makers wanted to achieve the look of two or three different colored sections of glass to make it appear as if it was one piece of glass. Venice was the center for this method of glass making and soon spread across Europe and eventually America, where highly skilled glass makers make this beautiful glassware.

Each piece of glass that is to be made into one is blown separately and must be the same width at the base or top where it is to be fused to another piece of glass. This second piece must be placed directly at the edge of the first piece and fit perfectly so there is no overlap with the edges. The finished piece is two or three bands of color in a vase or bowl, sometimes with an added decoration, but usually left plain. The final glassware can be for practical or decorative use.

Some of the prominent incalmo glass makers are:

James Nadal. A New York incalmo glass maker, Nadal’s work is both dazzling and beautiful, using striking colors with added decoration to them. His vases and bowls have been shown across the nation in galleries and specialty stores. Founded in 1972, Nadal Glass is presently located in Canandaigua, New York.

Victor Chiarizia is another incalmo glass maker, based in North Carolina. He has been making beautiful incalmo pieces that have won him critical acclaim and awards, as well as being on display in museums and art galleries. One side of the incalmo piece may have an elaborate decoration, while the other side is a solid color, creating a very unique effect.

Lino Tagliapietra is an Italian glass maker who learned his craft in Murano, Italy. As a world renowned artist in glass, his incalmo work is not only modern in design but also evokes inspiration that can be considered truly Italian.

Incalmo can also be created in a reverse fashion, where the blow pipe used in blowing glass is attached to the side of the blown glass and then shaped using another piece of blown glass. In this case, the glass portions are not horizontal but vertical. Chiarizia and Tagliapietra have both used this reverse technique to make modern incalmo art glass.

Image Credit: THOR, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.