Images(7)

fragment

Object Name2 Cup Fragments

Made FromGlass

Date99 BCE-99 CE

TechniqueBlown or cast, cased, cut

SizeOverall H: 3.4 cm

Accession Number62.1.24

Curatorial Area(s)

Ancient

Exhibitions

Cameo Glass: Masterpieces from 2000 Years of Glassmaking

Place Made

Roman Empire; probably Italy

Physical DescriptionOpaque white over translucent purple (?) and translucent green on translucent deep blue. Blown; covered with six overlays: from wall outward, white, purple, green, white, green, and purple; carved, cut, ground, and polished. Three fragments from wall of cup: two joining to make (a) and (b). Plain rim with single lathe-cut groove on inside; wall curves very slightly outward near top, then curves in toward bottom. Outer surface decorated in relief. Inner surface has faint horizontal striations and many fewer transverse scratches at various angles. Fragment (a): part of frieze with figured scene containing, from left to right: left edge and part of drape (A) extending across entire fragment, suspended from tree (B) and decorated with (1) circular object between two bar-like elements that meet at right angle and have notches in outer ends, (2) horizontal rectangular panel with beaded border enclosing double acanthus scroll, and (3) below panel, open circle containing disk with five-pointed star; (B) behind drape, part of tree with large oval leaves; (C) naked young man moving to right; he has curly hair and fillet of vine leaves with cluster of grapes on forehead, clean-shaven face shown in profile, looking slightly downward, torso turned three-quarters away from viewer, right arm extended forward, left arm bent carrying drape over forearm; (D) beneath right hand of (C), part of unidentified object; behind drape, (E) draped arm extended to left with lamp-like object in hand. Tree is purple and green; drape (A) is green, carved close to underlying purple in places to suggest shadows, with white decoration; young man is white with fillet of green leaves and purple grapes, and green drape. Fragment (b): part of female figure facing right, with head flung back, left arm raised and bent back behind head, and right arm extended forward and raised; arms and shoulder bare; on head, fillet of green vine leaves and red grapes; behind and above left elbow, small part of unidentified red object. Fragment (a) retains part of rim; fragment (b) is broken on all sides. Blue glass has slightly iridescence; much of green glass and some white glass have light brown weathering.
Provenance

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