From Venice to Barcelona: stained glass painters and the importation of flat glass in the 18th century

The present work aims to verify the problems that occurred in the passage of the 17th to 18th centuries in Catalonia in the supply of flat glass and see the existence of an import trade of different types of glass from Venice. This trade had as main subject some glass painters of Barcelona among which Francesc Saladriga stands out. The stained-glass makers of this moment show a great versatility of activities in response to changes in art and life styles and business conditions. The professional activities of Francesc Saladriga led him to travel to Venice to meet directly the producers and commercials. However, some of the trips to import their products suffered setbacks that caused damage to the cargo. The article is based on the primary documentation of the Arxiu de Protocols de Barcelona (AHPB) and the Arxiu de la Corona d’Aragó (ACA) and is extended with documents from other Barcelona archives and bibliographic sources.