FRATELLI TOSO GLASSFACTORY
Fratelli Toso is one of Murano’s oldest glassworks. Founded in 1854 by the six Toso brothers of the “Cangioro” branch of the family, the company has played a significant role in over a century of Venetian glassmaking history, contributing to its artistic and technical evolution.
From its earliest years, murrine glass has been at the heart of the glassworks’ production. One of the oldest and most complex techniques in the Murano glassmaking tradition, it has been continuously reinterpreted through experimentation with form and colour. Throughout the twentieth century, Fratelli Toso developed a distinctive artistic language, combining tradition, research and innovation.
The glassworks collaborated with artists and designers from outside the family, including Hans Stoltenberg Lerche, Umberto Bellotto, Guido Cadorin and Vittorio Zecchin. At the same time, successive generations of the Toso family contributed directly to its artistic development.
Ermanno Toso led the artistic direction of the glassworks from the 1940s through the 1960s, shaping its distinctive post-war production. His sons, Renato and Giusto Toso, subsequently contributed to the company’s artistic development, with a particular focus on design and lighting. In the 1970s and 1980s, Rosanna Toso took on the role of artistic director, becoming the last member of the family to hold this position and the only woman in the Toso family to assume a managerial role within the company.
A STORY THAT CONTINUES
Today, Fratelli Toso is no longer an active glassworks, but its heritage continues to be preserved and promoted by the direct descendants of the founding family.
At the heart of this heritage is the family collection, comprising glassworks produced by the historic manufactory from the late nineteenth century throughout the twentieth century. Its preservation is largely due to the dedication of Arnoldo Toso, who spent his life working in the family glassworks and, over the years, safeguarded and brought together a significant body of Fratelli Toso production, ensuring its transmission to future generations.
Alongside the collection, the complete historical archive of Fratelli Toso has also been preserved. It includes original drawings, catalogues, photographs, technical documentation and historical materials that make it possible to trace and document the glassworks’ production. Together, the collection, archive and family memory form the foundation of ongoing work in historical study, research, documentation and authentication of Fratelli Toso glassworks.
Today, this heritage is entrusted to Caterina Toso, a direct descendant of the founding family, who manages the gallery and oversees the company’s research, heritage preservation and curatorial activities, continuing the Toso family’s connection with its history.
Part of the collection is presented through Casa Rosanna, a curatorial space inaugurated in 2023 in the former design studio of Rosanna Toso, where historic glass is explored through evolving selections and exhibitions.