Nothing is quite as pleasing as symmetry in design.

Murano-based company Barovier&Toso presented their new collection of chandeliers and wall scones at the recent 60th Salone del Mobile in Milan. The collection builds upon the brand's previous success, with each collection being a bolder rendition of the last. Magritte illustrates the company’s pursuit of new balances and dynamics between light, space and form, dimensions that act together, in each case, as a tribute to blown glass.

“Banish the already seen from the mind and seek the unseen” is one of the famous mottos of the painter Magritte, considered one of the fathers of Surrealism, the artistic and literary movement that began in the 1920s. The new Barovier&Toso collection takes its inspiration from this revolutionary spirit.

As in Surrealist works, illusion plays a major role. With its theatrical and elegant arrangement, in keeping with the tradition, the Magritte chandelier nevertheless seems light and delicately poised. The innovative installation system presents the chandelier as if it’s floating in mid-air, like a suspended cloud.

The chandelier is designed like a satellite system, where the bases multiply and reflect light within the network. Another perspective on the design may be how the chandelier is arranged like a flower blossoming and spreading its petals. Available in a variety of sizes, the Magritte chandelier can have up to 48 lights.

In the typical tradition of Murano, the pastorals form crystal curls to enhance and enliven the composition. Utilizing the age-old technique known as “rigamenà”, all the cups feature slender ribbing with a spiral motif. The finishes developed by Barovier&Toso for the metal parts are made of shiny chrome and galvanized gold. For the glass elements, the catalogue offers the colours grey, sand, olive green, indigo, cadet blue, periwinkle and gold, as well as pure transparent crystal.

Viewed from afar, the uniform colour of the glass chandelier appears fascinatingly simple, but a closer look reveals the many intriguing and masterfully crafted details that capture the craftsmanship and attention to detail in the design.