What does Orsoni Venezia 1888, Venice’s last live-fire furnace, have to offer the world of modern luxury? We speak to Riccardo Bisazza, president of the historic Venetian producer of smalti, glass mosaics and gold mosaics, about heritage, craftsmanship and the future of a 138-year-old art.
Riccardo Bisazza is a man on a mission. His vision for the unique company he helms honours its glittering past, but also keeps a firm eye on its future. “The furnace was founded in Venice in 1888 by Angelo Orsoni,” Riccardo tells me, “and today it represents the only live-fire furnace still operating in the heart of the city.” That commitment to innovation and artistry is what makes Orsoni the world leader in the production of smalti, opaque glass coloured with minerals, and pure gold mosaics.
Having held various leadership roles within the industry, Riccardo is well placed to give an informed insight into the company’s history. “Angelo Orsoni brought a piece of his art to the International Exhibition in Paris in 1889,” he explains. “It was composed of more than 3,000 mosaic pieces, and it proved such a success that Antoni Gaudí decided to use only Orsoni mosaics in the construction of his masterwork.” Today, the original panel that so inspired Gaudí can still be seen in the Orsoni showroom.
The company remained under the control of the Orsoni family for four generations until it was acquired in 2003 by the TREND Group. “The TREND Group was founded in 2000 by my late father, Dr Pino Bisazza,” says Riccardo, “and the inclusion of Orsoni enriched us with a unique body of Venetian artisanal know-how.”
It is the walking of the tightrope between respect for the company’s history and an entrepreneurial eye on its future that makes Riccardo’s business philosophy so engaging. “There are no schools teaching this craft,” he says. “Training takes place exclusively within the furnace through a long learning process based on close mentorship with senior artisans, direct observation and daily practice.”
For this reason, he is closely involved with scouting aspiring, motivated individuals willing to build their careers within the company. “We currently employ 25 people at Orsoni Venezia,” he says, “most of whom are directly involved in production. It’s a highly specialised team, because every stage of the process requires skills developed and refined over time.”
With a view to developing future talent, later in 2026 Orsoni will inaugurate La Scola, a multifunctional space dedicated to creating projects with a new generation of mosaic artists, who will also lead workshops and international masterclasses.
For a number of years, Orsoni has hosted an annual artistic residency to nurture talent and foster creativity. This year, it features the work of sculptor Guglielmo Maggini. Born in Rome in 1992, Maggini graduated in architecture before pivoting to sculpture and taking a master’s degree in visual art at Camberwell College of Arts in London.
I had naively assumed that the most likely places to encounter hand-cut mosaic tiles would continue to be palaces, cathedrals and historical landmarks, but I am swiftly corrected by Riccardo, who explains that today’s customers come from very different sectors. “Our recent commissions have been coming from the world of interior design, from legendary names such as Schiaparelli, Bvlgari and Dolce & Gabbana. Fashion is ever-changing, but there’s still a desire for permanence and continuity; a need to show heritage and meaning.”
It is clear that deploying the deeply traditional craft of mosaic within the context of a retail environment can invite a customer to stop and realise that the luxury label they have chosen is itself invested in the real and the enduring, rather than the transient. In this digital-driven world, where AI-generated imagery and fast-turn design dominate, Riccardo’s philosophy encourages us to take stock of businesses like his that play the long game and underpin the fast-paced glamour of luxury goods.
And it is working. “There’s an overall growth of around 20 percent within the group year on year,” says Riccardo, “and we have a healthy order book that will account for around 40 percent of next year’s turnover.”
The general public can even watch the magic happen, as the Venice factory allows access twice a month during working hours when, in a process almost resembling alchemy, sand, soda and metal oxide colourants are transformed at 1,300°C into glass blocks, which are cooled and painstakingly hand-cut.
A secure future seems assured for Orsoni Venezia 1888, particularly given Riccardo’s intention to expand further into international markets outside the EU, an area which currently represents the largest share of the group’s revenue.
Currently, one of the most dramatic showcases for Orsoni’s work is the Dolce & Gabbana From the Heart to the Hands exhibition, which opened at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami on 6 February 2026. But however you encounter Orsoni’s craftsmanship, recall the words of William A Foster: “Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skilful execution.”
Author: Maurice Mullen
Lead image: Craftsmen using Orsoni Venezia 1888 mosaics in the restoration of the People Salvation’s Cathedral, Bucarest (2018).
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