Ottaviano Augusto

The “Ottaviano Augusto” glass sculpture was first conceived in 2010, born from Giberto Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga’s deep passion for history, sculpture, and Venetian glass art.
 Inspired by the bronze masterpieces of Ferdinand Barbedienne (1810–1892), themselves reproductions of classical works, Giberto reimagined the emperor’s figure through the transparency and strength of glass.

With the collaboration of glass master Giorgio Giuman, and using the ancient lost-wax technique, the artist pushed the boundaries of Murano craftsmanship. The process begins with a wax model taken from a mold, encased in steel and filled with liquid plaster. Once hardened, the wax melts away in the furnace, creating a perfect negative cavity. Into this void, molten glass is poured and slowly tempered over three days to achieve purity and balance.The resulting bust of Ottaviano Augusto embodies Giberto’s vision of glass as a noble sculptural material, capable of merging classical form and contemporary innovation.

Originally made in crystal, black, and amber, the series was expanded in 2021 with a striking version in green avventurina glass, a tribute to the timeless dialogue between antiquity and modern Murano glass art.

In 2021 the five versions of Ottaviano Augusto (amber, crystal, bronze, avventurina and wax) are shown at VITREA. Vetro italiano contemporaneo d’autore, curated by Jean Blanchaert at Quadreria di Triennale in Milano (5 May – 22 August 2021).

In September 2017, during the first edition of The Venice Glass Week, the three versions of Ottaviano Augusto (amber, bronze and crystal) are shown at Galleria Palwer, Venice.

In 2016 Ottaviano Augusto in amber glass is on show at Arte del Vetro Oggi in Italia (25 May – 11 September 2016) curated by Jean Blanchaert at Villa Necchi Campiglio, Milano and Villa dei Vescovi, Luvigliano (Padova), exposition supported by FAI and by Fondazione Cologni (Catalogo Skira, Milano).