A Thousand Glass Flowers: Marietta Barovier and the Invention of the Rosetta Bead

by Evan Turk (Author) Evan Turk (Illustrator)

A Thousand Glass Flowers: Marietta Barovier and the Invention of the Rosetta Bead
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

This gorgeous and empowering picture book from award-winning author-illustrator Evan Turk paints the portrait of Marietta Barovier, the groundbreaking Renaissance artisan who helped shape the future of Venetian glassmaking.

Marietta and her family lived on the island of Murano, near Venice, as all glassmakers did in the early Renaissance. Her father, Angelo Barovier, was a true maestro, a master of glass. Marietta longed to create gorgeous glass too, but glass was men's work.

One day her father showed her how to shape the scalding-hot material into a work of art, and Marietta was mesmerized. Her skills grew and grew.

Marietta worked until she created her own unique glass bead: the rosetta. Small but precious, the beautiful beads grew popular around the world and became as valuable as gold. The young girl who was once told she could not create art was now the woman who would leave her mark on glasswork for centuries to come.

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Publishers Weekly

Starred Review

Byzantine masterworks and period costumes give a sense of luxury to this picture biography by Turk (You Are Home) about Venice's first female glassblower, Marietta Barovier. Marietta's father, "a master of glass," has a workshop on the island of Murano; "Marietta dreamed of creating glass too, but glass was men's work." She begs to learn to blow glass, her wide face dominated by huge, wondering eyes, and her father shows her how in front of a blazing furnace. Later, he takes her by gondola to Venice, where they view a precious glass bowl made using a lost, Roman-era technology, and she sees the mosaics of San Marco: "Marietta gaped at the twinkling golden scenes, shimmering with millions of individual pieces." As an adult running her father's glassworks with her brothers, she rediscovers the lost technique, making delicate, colorful beads treasured as currency across "the Renaissance world." A triumphant tale of a girl who defeats tradition, it's also a visual homage to Venice, which Turk renders with vigorous pastel strokes in glorious hues. An author's note offers contextualizing information. Ages 4-8. Agent: Brenda Bowen, the Book Group. (Aug.)

Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Gr 3-7--Rosetta beads can be used to create beautiful pieces of jewelry, but how did they come to be? In this illustrated biography, author/illustrator Turk depicts the life of a lesser-known Venetian innovator. Marietta Barovier was inspired by her father Angelo, a master of glassmaking, to engage in this art form. Historians speculate that she was born in the 15th century; Turk notes that the first documented mention of her was in 1431, in her mother's will. When Angelo died, Barovier's siblings inherited his glassworks. Angelo left his daughter the recipes for colored glass, which motivated Barovier to create her own works. However, the process was not an easy one. At the time, the idea of a woman glassmaker was not only laughable but also culturally unorthodox. While little is known about Barovier's life, this story attempts to fill in the gaps. Turk illuminates her ambition and creativity. Inspired by Renaissance artists, his breathtaking illustrations evoke the stunning art of glassmaking. The narrative flows well, providing context to Barovier's fascination with glassmaking and highlights the difficulties she faced. The author's note describes Turk's researching and writing. He explains that because little is actually known through historical records, some of Barovier's story is based on speculation. VERDICT Turk provides brilliant illustrations in this work about a lesser-known artist who made a tremendous impact. A welcome addition to elementary and middle school nonfiction picture book collections.--Molly Dettmann, Norman North H.S., OK

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

* "Poetic yet accessible text sparkles with clarity as it portrays the artistic sensibility and discerning eye of a young girl. . . . Clearly a labor of love, this ethereal and striking selection incorporates imagination, art, creativity, and women's history in a story that emphasizes dedication, resilience, and innovation. An enchanting tale."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
Evan Turk
Evan Turk is an Ezra Jack Keats Award-winning illustrator, author, and animator. He is the author-illustrator of The Storyteller, Heartbeat, You Are Home: An Ode to the National Parks, A Thousand Glass Flowers, and Hello, Moon and the illustrator of Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters, which was a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book; The People's Painter; Grandfather Gandhi; and its companion Be the Change. Originally from Colorado, Evan now lives in southern California with his husband and two cats. He is a graduate of Parsons School of Design. Visit him at EvanTurk.com.
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9781534410343
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication date
August 18, 2020
Series
-
BISAC categories
JNF006040 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Art | History
JNF007120 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Women
JNF025160 - Juvenile Nonfiction | History | Renaissance
Library of Congress categories
History
Biographies
Families
Family life
Italy
Sex role
15th century
Glass blowing and working
Barovier, Marietta
Women glassworkers
Millefiori glass
Murano (Italy)

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