Pietro Bigaglia is a today little-known Italian glassmaker from Murano, Italy, who was, however, an innovative and important artist in his time. He was born in 1786 to a family known to have owned several furnaces. After his father’s death, Pietro took over, together with his brother Zuanne, the family business. Zuanne later joined the military and Pietro ran the business by himself. By 1826, Pietro is known to have worked with aventurine which was to become a specialty of his. In 1827, he presented a table with “avventurina and obsidian” at the Premi d’Industria in Venice. His business thrived and expanded producing a variety of glass products, including beads, artificial pearls, and enamels eventually included all kinds of glass wares. He won prizes for his glass repeatedly. He made a name for himself particularly with his mille fiori paperweights he began producing in the early or mid-1840s; it is what he is today best known for. By the time he participated in the 1873 exhibition he was advanced in age; he died in 1876. Bigaglia was also very active in the Venetian business and political landscape. For instance, he was vice-president of the Venetian Chamber of Commerce.