With all the photographs and Instagram posts coming out of the Venice Biennale, it’s difficult to imagine a time when the international exhibition had some mystery. Le Stanze del Vetro, a Venetian space devoted to glass, takes us back. Its exhibition focuses on the presence of Murano glass at the Venice Biennales between 1912 and 1930 (the 10th to 17th editions). Featuring more than 130 pieces, the show celebrates the artists and glassmakers who transformed their so-called minor art into a recognized major art. Murano glass gradually made its way into the Biennale—first through artists who used glass in their work, then through the launch of a specialized Applied Arts event, which was presented until 1930. Finally, in 1932, a new pavilion was built with a space dedicated to glass and applied arts. This legacy is honored with a collection of rare vases and decorative objects that come from museums and private collections. —Jeanne Malle