Carlo Scarpa

Born in Venice in 1906, died in Sendai (Japan) in 1978, Carlo Scarpa was an Italian architect influenced in his work by the materials, landscape, and the history of Venetian culture, and Japan. Scarpa was also a glass and furniture designer of note.

He studied in Venice at the Academy of Fine Arts and teached in 1926 at the Higher Institute of Architecture. In 1927 he started working for the firm of MVM Cappellin & Co. , and in 1932 he took over from Napoleone Martinuzzi at Venini & Co. , where he remained until 1947.

 

In 1940 he participated in the Venice Biennale, and in 1956 he cooperated with I.V.R. Mazzega .

Following the finding of some of Scarpa's sketches and drawings, on August 2012 the exhibition "Carlo Scarpa. Venini 1932-1947" was opened to the public on the island of San Giorgio Maggione in Venice.

The material on show includes prototypes, one-off items, original drawings and designs, plus period photographs and archive documents. Some works are shown for the first time and many are from major international public and private collections.

The exhibition explores the significance and importance of Carlo Scarpa’s glass design experience in his overall work: during his Murano period, Scarpa further developed his interests in experimentation and craftsmanship and the show thus provides a great opportunity to compare his work as a glass and furniture designer and his architecture.