Vetreria Vistosi

BiographyThe descendant of a family who had been Murano glassmakers for hundreds of years, Guglielmo Vistosi opened the Vistosi furnace in 1945 to produce glass components for lighting. After his death in 1952, the direction of the company was taken over by his brother Oreste and his nephews Gino and Luciano. They carried on the line of production, serving as designers as well. Vistosi also sought the collaboration of many independent artists and professionals such as Alessandro Pianon, Peter Pelzel, and Fulvio Bianconi. During the '60s, the company, successful for its essential forms and the sobriety of its colors, received many awards. During the following decade, its pieces were designed by Angelo Mangiarotti, Enrico Capuzzo, Gae Aulenti, Vico Magistretti, Elenore Peduzzi Riva, and Ettore Sottsass Jr. After the company's change of ownership, the furnace produced glass components for lighting until it was closed in the early '90s.

Pianon's collaborator Peter Pelzel was born in Murano in 1937 and studied architecture at I.U.A.V. in Venice, graduating in 1964. He had moved to S.A.L.I.R. in 1958 and worked with his father: in 1962 he worked as designer at Vistosi's, then from 1968 to 1973 he cooperated with La Murrina, and after 1969 with the Vetrelco firm in Treviso. In 1972, he opened an architecture studio while going on working as designer for many glass factories.

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