Beginning in the 1950s, a number of Murano firms began to produce glass sculpture drawn from designs by famous contemporary artists, or inspired by them. Barovier & Toso, Venini and a number of other specialized manufacturers issued limited edition sculptures of this type. Ermano Nason, Angelo Barovier, Napoleone Martinuzzi and many other master blowers and designers contributed innovative designs for modern sculptures to be executed in Murano glass.