Born and raised near Venice, Tagliapietra developed his craft on Murano, the glassmaking island of the Venetian lagoon. Today, he is widely recognized as the best glassblower in the world. Over the course of his career, Tagliapietra has produced work that has become more complex and technically difficult. This sculpture, inspired by a nautilus shell, represents glassblowing at its most challenging. A beloved teacher and a respected artist, Tagliapietra has influenced the careers of an entire generation of American artists working in glass.