Early Macchia 1982 blown glass incised "Chihuly 1982" on the underside. 7" x 5" x 4.5" (sight).

Dale Chihuly is a leading figure of the Studio Glass movement which originated in the United States during the 1960s. Born in 1941 in Tacoma, Washington, Chihuly was first introduced to glassmaking as an undergraduate while studying interior design at the University of Washington in 1965. Upon graduation, he received a scholarship to study sculpture at the University of Wisconsin under Harvey Littleton (1922-2013) who established the first university-level glass program in the United States. He continued his artistic training at the Rhode Island School of Design where earned his MFA in sculpture in 1968. For his work in studio glass, Chihuly was awarded a Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation grant. He received a Fulbright Fellowship to travel to Italy where he studied the Venetian technique of murano glassmaking and was the first American to work in the glassworks of the Italian designer Paolo Venini (1895-1959). In 1969, he returned to the Rhode Island School of Design to inaugurate the institution’s studio glass teaching department which he headed for over a decade. In 1971, he co-founded the Pilchuck Glass School, an international center for glass art education, in his home state of Washington.

Beginning with the Macchia series in 1981, Chihuly began investigating the possibilities of color in studio glassmaking. He achieved the kaleidoscopic outer shell by incorporating fragments ( macchia meaning “spot” or “stain” in Italian) of multicolored glass which lends to the unique speckled appearance of the series. In the hotshop, Chihuly devised a novel technique to prevent the solid-colored interior of his Macchia creations from mixing with the speckled exterior surface. As part of the Studio Glass movement, Chihuly’s body of work aims to liberate glass from its usage as an industrial material. He fully realized its potential as an artistic medium and sculptural form by translating the experiments of Color Field painting in the 1960s and 1970s to three-dimensional glass. Every lot is sold "as is," "where is," and "without warranty," whether express or implied. Lighting and electronics have not been tested and should be professionally evaluated prior to use. Art has not been examined outside of the frame unless otherwise stated.

Our auction items are antique and vintage, often from estates, and are not in perfect condition. They often show normal signs of age, use, and wear, which might not be specified in a condition report. Bidders are responsible for determining the physical condition of items prior to bidding. The absence of a condition report does not indicate the absence of condition issues with the lot. Requests for condition reports, additional photographs, or a video inspection can be obtained via email at: info@Vallots.com (any condition statement given is offered as an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact).

All bids are final. We do not offer refunds based on item description, condition, or for any other reason.