pitcher, unknown maker from Spain

Archive Label 2003:
The term façon de Venise refers to glass made in the Venetian style by non-Venetian glasshouses. Venice became the major glassmaking center in Europe during the Middle Ages when crusaders brought back ancient traditions of glassmaking from Islam. The other major European centers of glass fabrication had disappeared after the Teutonic invasions beginning in the 5th century. So popular was Venetian glass that glassmakers were lured to other European cities to make glass à la façon de Venise despite restrictions placed on these artisans by the Venetian government.