Dino Martens (1894–1970) was born in Venice, where he attended the Accademia di Belle Arti. In the mid Twenties he moved to Murano, where for a short time he was a partner and decorator for the glass factory S.A.L.I.R. Later he worked as a designer for Salviati and Andrea Rioda. He exhibited paintings at the Biennale di Venezia between 1924 and 1930. After his return from Italy´s African war in 1939, he became the artistic director of the glass factory Aureliano Toso in Murano. When he designed the series "Oriente", Martens seems to have been inspired by bright African patterns and colors. He combined bold, asymmetrical shapes with adventurous patterns requiring the highest glass making skills: aventurine copper or gold inclusions, spiraling "Zanfirico" glass canes, and murrains called "Oriente".