Licio Zanetti, Tucano, Scultura In Vetro
Artist: Licio Zanetti
Licio Zanetti
Toucan
Blown glass with a reticello (zanfirico) technique, with milk glass and amber glass applications, gilded cast brass legs
38 x 28 x 18 cm
Murano, ca. 1970
In perfect condition
The Master
Zanetti Vetreria Artistica was founded in 1956 and quickly became known for the artistic quality of master Licio Zanetti's sculptures, quickly becoming one of Murano's most prestigious companies.
Licio comes from one of the most illustrious Murano glass families and worked for Venini, Cenedese, and Alfredo Barbini, becoming a renowned artist for his creations and his collaborations with renowned artists, such as Fulvio Bianconi.
Licio Zanetti had a true passion for drawing and always traveled with a notebook and pencil to quickly sketch out ideas that came to mind.
One of the advantages he had over other designers was that he was also the master who physically created the piece in the furnace: as he moved his pencil across his notebook, he was already visualizing the movements he would make before the fire to bring his ideas to life.
His predilection for naturalistic subjects—particularly brightly colored tropical birds—led him to become a true innovator in the field of glass sculpture.
In 1989, Licio Zanetti passed the reins to his son Oscar, who had worked alongside him in the furnace since he was very young.
The Work
An extraordinary sculpture depicting a toucan in an upright, alert pose, resting on finely cast gilded brass legs that precisely reproduce the morphology of the bird's talons.
The work is a masterpiece of plastic synthesis and technical virtuosity: three distinct glass materials coexist in perfect harmony, each chosen to mimic a specific anatomical element.
The body is blown using the reticello zanfirico technique—one of the most demanding techniques in the Murano tradition—in which very thin threads of white glass are woven into the transparent glass paste to form a dense geometric pattern that strikingly evokes the structure of feathers.
The underlying tone, warm and amber with purple veins, gives the whole a chromatic depth that changes with the light.
The chest is made of opaque white milky glass, applied hot as a separate element, precise in its rounded and soft shape.
The large beak—an iconic element of the toucan and a technical challenge for any master glassmaker—is blown from bright yellow amber glass, with its characteristic hooked curve and an opening rendered with rare naturalness; at the base, a black ring marks the boundary with the head.
The eye is rendered with a small polychrome murrine, a meticulous detail that reveals the master's almost obsessive attention to anatomical detail.
The overall effect is strikingly modern: far from decorative anecdotes, Zanetti's toucan is a sculpture in its own right.
Auction References
Licio Zanetti's toucans are among the most sought-after Murano sculptures on the international market.
A Murano glass toucan signed by Zanetti, on gilded metal legs (h. 37 cm), was sold at Abell Auction (Los Angeles, January 2022) for $3,750, against an initial estimate of just $300–400—a telling sign of the market's strong interest in these subjects.
Examples of Zanetti toucans on gilded brass legs of similar dimensions (approx. 35–37 cm) regularly appear at American auctions, with prices varying based on the quality of the workmanship and the vividness of the colors.
On the international primary and secondary markets, Zanetti toucans are listed on 1stDibs between $250 and $16,000, with a well-positioned average for signed and large specimens.
Toucan
Blown glass with a reticello (zanfirico) technique, with milk glass and amber glass applications, gilded cast brass legs
38 x 28 x 18 cm
Murano, ca. 1970
In perfect condition
The Master
Zanetti Vetreria Artistica was founded in 1956 and quickly became known for the artistic quality of master Licio Zanetti's sculptures, quickly becoming one of Murano's most prestigious companies.
Licio comes from one of the most illustrious Murano glass families and worked for Venini, Cenedese, and Alfredo Barbini, becoming a renowned artist for his creations and his collaborations with renowned artists, such as Fulvio Bianconi.
Licio Zanetti had a true passion for drawing and always traveled with a notebook and pencil to quickly sketch out ideas that came to mind.
One of the advantages he had over other designers was that he was also the master who physically created the piece in the furnace: as he moved his pencil across his notebook, he was already visualizing the movements he would make before the fire to bring his ideas to life.
His predilection for naturalistic subjects—particularly brightly colored tropical birds—led him to become a true innovator in the field of glass sculpture.
In 1989, Licio Zanetti passed the reins to his son Oscar, who had worked alongside him in the furnace since he was very young.
The Work
An extraordinary sculpture depicting a toucan in an upright, alert pose, resting on finely cast gilded brass legs that precisely reproduce the morphology of the bird's talons.
The work is a masterpiece of plastic synthesis and technical virtuosity: three distinct glass materials coexist in perfect harmony, each chosen to mimic a specific anatomical element.
The body is blown using the reticello zanfirico technique—one of the most demanding techniques in the Murano tradition—in which very thin threads of white glass are woven into the transparent glass paste to form a dense geometric pattern that strikingly evokes the structure of feathers.
The underlying tone, warm and amber with purple veins, gives the whole a chromatic depth that changes with the light.
The chest is made of opaque white milky glass, applied hot as a separate element, precise in its rounded and soft shape.
The large beak—an iconic element of the toucan and a technical challenge for any master glassmaker—is blown from bright yellow amber glass, with its characteristic hooked curve and an opening rendered with rare naturalness; at the base, a black ring marks the boundary with the head.
The eye is rendered with a small polychrome murrine, a meticulous detail that reveals the master's almost obsessive attention to anatomical detail.
The overall effect is strikingly modern: far from decorative anecdotes, Zanetti's toucan is a sculpture in its own right.
Auction References
Licio Zanetti's toucans are among the most sought-after Murano sculptures on the international market.
A Murano glass toucan signed by Zanetti, on gilded metal legs (h. 37 cm), was sold at Abell Auction (Los Angeles, January 2022) for $3,750, against an initial estimate of just $300–400—a telling sign of the market's strong interest in these subjects.
Examples of Zanetti toucans on gilded brass legs of similar dimensions (approx. 35–37 cm) regularly appear at American auctions, with prices varying based on the quality of the workmanship and the vividness of the colors.
On the international primary and secondary markets, Zanetti toucans are listed on 1stDibs between $250 and $16,000, with a well-positioned average for signed and large specimens.
3 500 €
Period: 20th century
Style: Other Style
Condition: Excellent condition
Material: Glass
Height: 38 cm.
Reference (ID): 1723418
Availability: In stock
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