Although the shape of this vase resembling a tapered bottle is reminiscent of Japanese vases, the rest is pure Murano. Since its narrow neck and elaborate ornamentation aren’t really suitable for anything more than an Ikebana arrangement, it probably functions as a decorative object. From the surface, the observer’s gaze is drawn down into a complex depth. Is it really glass? Yes, it is, and what’s more, glass of the finest quality, namely from Murano – that series of islands in the Venetian Lagoon so well known for glassmaking. In this case, a single person was responsible for the whole vase from the original artistic idea to its creation: master glassmaker Giulio Radi. This was rather unusual, however, because design and execution had always been divided ever since Paolo Venini, an outsider from Milan, stirred up Murano by collaborating with external artists. However, the high quality of the items depended on the maestri vetri, who fronted many years of trained craftsmanship, centuries of skill, unparalleled knowledge of their materials, and artistic talent. Radi possessed all these characteristics, and so was able to successfully translate his ideas into reality in his own glassworks. The hot glass-forming techniques typical of Murano are combined in his vase. They were all carried out during a single manufacturing process in the glass furnace: gold leaf was applied to the hot glass, randomly distributed colored glass panes were rolled up, and mineral powder was sprinkled inside to create spontaneous color gradients via chemical reactions. The description of the various procedures could go on indefinitely, but sometimes the “how and what” remain a well-kept secret!