Yokohama by Aldo Nason

“Yokohama” Vase by Aldo Nason (1920–2020) for Arte Vetraria Muranese (A.Ve.M.) Murano, Italy, circa 1959.

Created around 1959 for Arte Vetraria Muranese (A.Ve.M.), the Yokohama series represents one of Aldo Nason’s earliest and most imaginative explorations of colour, texture and material. Conceived at a pivotal moment in the renewal of Murano glass after the Second World War, these works reveal Nason’s remarkable ability to combine traditional Venetian techniques with a bold and distinctly modern artistic language.

The elegantly tapering body culminates in a characteristic bifid opening, lending the vase a striking sculptural presence. A vibrant cascade of red glass enriched with concentric millefiori murrines flows across one side of the composition, while the opposing surface is enveloped in deep cobalt-blue glass animated by spectacular metallic inclusions. Fragments of gold and copper leaf appear suspended beneath the transparent surface, creating a richly textured, almost geological landscape that contrasts beautifully with the refined geometry of the murrines.

Entirely hand-blown at the A.Ve.M. furnace, the vase demonstrates the exceptional technical mastery required to unite coloured overlays, metallic leaf and murrine decoration within a single composition. Rather than functioning as individual decorative elements, these traditional Venetian techniques are orchestrated into a harmonious whole, where colour, light and texture become inseparable.

Diamond-point engraved beneath the base “Nason Aldo”, this example belongs to the earliest and most accomplished productions of the Yokohama series, illustrating Aldo Nason’s decisive contribution to the artistic renewal of Murano glass during the late 1950s.

Today, the Yokohama series stands among the defining achievements of Aldo Nason’s career. Balancing Venetian virtuosity with an expressive freedom rarely equalled in post-war Murano production, these works remain among the most distinctive creations of twentieth-century Italian art glass.