Images(2)

figurine

Object NameInlay Figure

Made FromGlass, Plaster

Date299-1 BCE

TechniqueFused, assembled, ground, polished

SizeOverall H: 21.5 cm

Accession Number66.1.216

Curatorial Area(s)

Ancient

Exhibitions

Treasures from The Corning Museum of Glass

Designs in Miniature: The Story of Mosaic Glass

The Art of Glass: Masterpieces from The Corning Museum of Glass

Interpretive Notes

Web Text

The use of glass inlays to depict parts of human figures in decorative contexts began at least as early as the reign of Tutankhamen in the 14th century B.C. Although many parts exist, complete figures are relatively rare. The male figure shown here may be a composite, although the legs and torso do appear to be from the same figure. Unlike the earlier inlays, in which the various parts of the body were fitted into separate recesses, the wig, head, collar, torso, loincloth, and legs of the Corning figure - which dates to the last centuries of the pre-Christian era - were fitted together and originally held in place with an adhesive. This technique, developed by the Ptolemaic glass industry, coincided with the revival of gesso and plaster objects. Such inlays decorated wooden coffins, and they were also employed in household furnishings and religious shrines.

Place Made

Egypt

Physical DescriptionInlay Figure. Multicolored glass, plaster; fused, assembled, ground , polished. (a) Opaque deep olive (appearing black) glass with inlay cane of opaque ocher-yellow; Fused, assembled, ground, and polished. Inlay element in the shape of a wing for a human figure facing right, cut to fit an inlay head with protruding ear, entire section below ear reconstructed in plaster. (b) Opaque aquamarine glass, bubbly with some pitting on surface; Fused, assembled, ground, and recut. Inlay element in the shape of a human head facing right, nose, lips and chin sharply delineated, ear has been recut in antiquity, upper section with eye and eyebrow are reconstructed in plaster and painted white and black. (c) Canes of opaque yellow, red, blue- green, ochre-yellow, white, red and colorless glass, some pitting; mosaic glass technique. Inlay element of broad elaborate semi-circular collar composed of four elaborate bands which alternate with four ocher-yellow bands; the first is a series of circular yellow canes surrounded with bands of red and colorless in the matrix of aquamarine. Next an alternating series of rectangles reminiscent of a triglyph and metope design; an opaque white circle sits in colorless (appearing gray) rectangle on either side is a rectangle with four vertical yellow stripes. This pattern series is separated by a red rectangle with a central yellow dot; the third register consists of aquamarine triangles outlined in yellow on a base of red; the fourth register is a series of white triangles set in a red ground, much of the central third register and almost all of the fourth register is painted on plaster. (d) Translucent deep blue glass, pitted; Fused, assembled, ground, and retouched by cutting. Inlay element of a torso facing right with raised right hand, long delicate fingers have been recut, some recutting and secondary polishing on the stomach area, two major cracks with some plaster restoration on left shoulder near collar. (e) Canes of translucent deep blue glass, opaque white, opaque red, opaque yellow, and opaque ocher; mosaic glass technique. Mosaic inlay in the form of a short loin cloth, the side panels consisting of a vertical band of alternating blue and white stripes, the front horizontal registers of red feathers outlined in yellow with small white dots decorating the tip of each scale. The bottom of the garment is outlined with ocher- yellow and is badly chipped. (f) Translucent deep blue glass, some pitting; cast and retouched by cutting. Inlay element of a right leg and foot, toes articulated by recutting, some modeling of knee. (g) Translucent deep blue glass, some pitting; Fused, assembled, ground, and retouched by cutting. Inlay element of left leg with some gridding and cutting along the foot and some modeling in the area of the knee.
Provenance

Provenance Remark

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