Renaissance Glassware

Time Frame

• The Renaissance was a major cultural revivalist period that swept up all of Europe in the 14th century and continued into the 17th century. Major achievements took place throughout all areas of art and design, as well as in the scientific realm. In poetry, Dante redefined what it means to fall in love, while a figure like Leonardo da Vinci -- whose inventive imagination left its mark on art and science alike -- gave meaning to the oft-used term "Renaissance Man," a person whose genius allows him to excel in numerous disciplines.

Design Standards & Attributes

• Glassware designers of the Renaissance looked back to the Classical era, that of ancient Rome and Greece, in developing their own style. Much of the tableware -- including goblets, pitchers, bottles and food containers -- were made of glass and were defined by well-proportioned shapes and balusterlike stems. Bowls were typically either round or took on a less-elongated flute form. In addition, glassware was often hand-painted by renowned artists.

Famous Artists

• Art historians perhaps best know the Renaissance as a period of remarkable productivity in the visual arts and, in particular, painting. What is not widely known is that many Renaissance painters contributed their designs to glassware of the period. Tintoretto, Titian and Veronese all contributed memorable paintings on glass goblets.

Influence

• The Renaissance has left its mark on glassware up to the present day. While original Renaissance pieces are virtually impossible to come by, located as they are in the world's museums, Renaissance-style glassware is easy to find. The glass tends to be very thick, as it is needed to support the etched and painted motifs that it contains. Common symbols include nautical references, royalty motifs (such as the fleur-de-lis symbol of French kings) and bumblebees.

Types

• Renaissance designs can be found on a number of different sorts of modern day glassware, including stemware (wine glasses, water glasses, snifters, champagne flutes); tumblers; and drink ware (coffee cups, beer steins, wine glasses, tea cups, mugs and beakers).