Orsoni Mosaic Courses

Classes in mosaic technique and portraiture

ABOVE: Preparing tesserae of smalti, or opaque colored glass, for mosaic work. INSET BELOW: A close-up of tesserae in two of Orsoni's 2,000+ hues, and the entrance to the Domus Orsoni bed-and-breakfast.

By Durant Imboden

Orsoni, an internationally renowned manufacturer of Venetian glass and gold mosaics since 1888, offers intensive courses in mosaic art for Italian- or English-speaking students. Courses include:

• Master in Mosaic (3, 5, 8, or 10 days)

• "Thematic classes" in micro-mosaic or portraiture (5 days)

Course fees include equipment and materials, an Orsoni apron, and (for the longer courses) guided tours to Torcello and/or the Basilica di San Marco, which are famous for their glass, gold, and stone mosaics.

Accommodations and meals aren't included in the course fees. If you wish, you can book a room with mosaic decorations in the Domus Orsoni, a bed-and-breakfast operated by the foundry. (Students who reside at the Domus Orsoni have 24-hour access to the mosaic studio, which--like the B&B--is located in the sestiere of Cannaregio, not far from the Venetian Ghetto.)

For more information on Orsoni and its mosaic courses, visit www.orsoni.com. (The Web site was in transition the last time we looked, so if you don't find information about the courses, e-mail master@orsoni.com for up-to-date course offerings and an application form.)

About the author:

Durant Imboden has written about Venice, Italy since 1996. He covered Venice and European travel at About.com for 4-1/2 years before launching Europe for Visitors (including Venice for Visitors) with Cheryl Imboden in 2001.

PC Magazine has called this "the premier visitors' site for Venice, Italy." Over the years, it has helped more than 30 million travelers. For more information, see About our site, our Europe for Visitors press clippings, and our reader testimonials.

Photos copyright © Angelo Orsoni s.r.l.