Lino Tagliapietra

(Italian, b.1934)

“To really emphasize the beauty of colors and shapes, it’s important that there be ‘spirit’ in the works…
And expression of what the artist feels in the moment.”
— Lino Tagliapietra

Lino Tagliapietra is often described as the best glass artist in the world. Having worked with glass for over 70 years, he is renowned for his innovative and unmatched manipulation of the glass medium. Tagliapietra’s artistic career sprouted early, as the small Italian island he grew up on offered centuries of glassmaking history to influence and inspire him. His humble early years were filled with experience working alongside Italian masters in various glass factories, and his influence would quickly spread overseas. By the time Tagliapietra became an independent glass artist, he would develop a very unique personal style that merged Italian techniques with contemporary aesthetics. Tagliapietra has received countless honors and awards for his contributions to the world of glass art, and he continues to pass down his expertise through teaching and demonstrations. Major museums and galleries have displayed the artist’s glassworks around the world and continue to do so into the 21st century. Lino Tagliapietra is objectively one of the most skilled and influential glass artists of all time.

Lino was born on August 10, 1934 on the island of Rio dei Vetri in Murano, Italy. Murano has an extensive history of glasswork and art, providing the ideal educational environment for Lino to start developing his skills early. At the young age of 12, he apprenticed to glass maestro, Archimede Seguso, at the Galliano Factory. Two years later, he was allowed to participate in glass manufacturing for the first time by applying a ribbon to a single glass piece. Tagliapietra educated himself by visiting art fairs and museums in Italy such as the Murano Glass Museum. By the age of 21, the artist earned the rank of maestro. He took a short break from glassblowing during his participation in the Italian military from 1952 to 1954. In 1959, Tagliapietra married Lina Ongaro, whose family was also involved in Venetian glass production for centuries. Over the next 25 years, Tagliapietra would work with many of Murano’s most important glass factories, including Vetreria Galliano Ferro, Venini & C., La Murrina, and EOS Design nel Vetro. Tagliapietra was chief maestro and cofounder at La Murrina from 1968 to 1976. In 1968, renowned American glass artist Dale Chihuly visited Murano. Chihuly gave Tagliapietro studio time to work independently, which would ignite the relationship between both artists, thus beginning Tagliapietra’s influence on American glass. Chihuly would later call Tagliapietra the “greatest glassblower in the world,” and they would work together to complete their Venetian series by 1990. Their collaborations and exchange of methods were documented in the 2001 film titled Chihuly and the Masters of Venice. From 1976 to 1989, Tagliapietro worked as the Artistic and Technical Director at Effetre International. Here, he developed his “Saturn” design that would become his personal emblem. By the 1980’s, Tagliapietra became an independent studio artist, and he had his first show at the Traver Gallery in Seattle in 1990. The artist saw much success in his early years due to his early education and dedication to the art of glass.

Taglipietra’s works express a contemporary approach to his Italian roots, combining modern experimentation with Italian methods. He emphasizes his own independent vision of design, as he never wanted to solely reflect Venetian techniques. His works are often inspired by various other cultures including Asian, African, Islamic, and Greek objects. Pieces range in form from vases and bowls, to lamps and glass panes, to exquisite sculptural installations. In the 1970’s, Tagliapietra became ill with a thyroid condition that required radiation and extensive recovery time. He explains that following the treatment, he experienced a “creative explosion,” that inspired him to explore and use more color, as opposed to his earlier monochromatic works. Still, his love for black and white remains. Often creating his own glass colors and taking advantage of the seemingly infinite malleability of the glass medium, Tagliapietra’s works are incredibly innovative. He treats the methods of production as equally as important as the aesthetic qualities, forming a seemingly mutualistic relationship with the glass itself. The artist is not separate from the art, as Tagliapietra’s art is largely the experimentation itself. “Your style is what you are,” he says. Tagliapietra’s illusory pieces are ahead of his time, displaying hypnotic patterns, intense colors, and fluid shapes. His unique approach to glassblowing and incorporation of modern and Italian styles has surely been a factor in his success as an artist.

Tagliapietra has an outstanding history of achievements, awards, and honors. In 1975, he was awarded the title of “Cavaliere Dell ‘Ordine” by the President of the Italian Republic. Other notable awards include, but are not limited to: The Glass Art Society Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997, The Libensky Award from Chateau Ste Michelle Vineyard and Winery and Pilchuck Glass School in 1998; the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass Honors Award from Sculpture Objects Functional Art & Design Fair in Chicago in 2013; and many more. In 2004, Tagliapietra received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters award from Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, followed by the President’s Distinguished Artist Award from the University of the Arts, Philadelphia that same year. A major part of Tagliapietra’s career involves teaching and public demonstrations of his methods. He began teaching workshops during the 1970’s at La Scuola Internazionale del Vetro in Murano. In 1979 and 1980, he taught at the Pilchuk Glass School in Washington, which was cofounded by Chihuly. Tagliapietra didn’t speak much English at the time, so him and his students would develop numbered codes for different processes. He would also tell stories of the “leggenda metropolitano” or urban legends about Venetian glass artists that faced severe punishments for spreading their tricks and secrets overseas. Still, he would teach the skills of the Italian maestri that would influence American glassblowing forever. He loved the Northeastern United States so much that he would travel back and forth until setting up a studio in Seattle in 1994. In November of 2011, Tagliapietra performed a public demonstration to honor the formal opening of the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Virginia. He participated in the development of computer-aided design at the MIT Glass Lab in 2012 and years after in attempt to improve planning and reduce costs that come with the expensive process of glassblowing. Right before his 87th birthday, Tagliapietra announced his retirement from glassblowing in the summer of 2021. He did a farewell demonstration at the Corning Museum of Glass in New York on May 13, 2022. The artist continues to teach, and he currently serves on the board of directors of UrbanGlass, a resource center for glass artists based out of Brooklyn, New York.

Tagliapietra’s renowned works have been exhibited and collected in over 54 major locations worldwide. Some of these include: Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art here in Scottsdale, Arizona; Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington; Shanghai Liuli China Museum in China; Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Tokyo National Modern Art Museum in Japan; and more. In 2008, Tagliapietra had a solo exhibition at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC, making him the first foreign and still-living artist to have a solo exhibit at the gallery. His first solo exhibition in his homeland of Italy took place at Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arte in the Spring of 2011, displaying a retrospective of his entire career. In 2012, the Columbus Museum of Art acquired the installation titled Endeavor, which featured 35 glass boats suspended from the ceiling. In addition to being displayed in countless galleries and museums throughout his career, Tagliapietra works are also currently sold in several retailers to collectors around the world.

American Fine Art, Inc. is proud to feature the original glassworks of Lino Tagliapietra. Visit our 12,000 sq. ft. showroom in Scottsdale, Arizona or call today. Our website is offered only as a limited place to browse or refresh your memory and is not a reflection of our current inventory. To learn more about collecting, pricing, value, or any other art information, please contact one of our International Art Consultants. We look forward to giving you the one on one attention you deserve when building your fine art collection. We hope you find our website helpful and look forward to seeing you in Scottsdale soon.