Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A stunning free-blown glass vessel of brilliant yellow hues and attractive translucency - presenting an endearing form comprised of a near-spherical, ribbed body rising to a short, tubular neck, with a flared, infolded rim, and three ribbon-like, trail handles joining rim to shoulder (applied to the shoulder and pulled up to the lip where they have been flattened by pinching with tongs) - all upon a dimpled base with a broken pontil mark. Brilliant areas of rainbow iridescence grace the vessel with a myriad of colors. A spectacular example, replete with fine artistry and a marvelous aesthetic quality! Size: 2.375" H (6 cm)
Most scholars agree, Roman glass was of the highest quality - both aesthetically and technically - among the ancients. While glass making had been practiced for centuries, glass blowing was invented in the Roman-controlled Holy Land in the 1st century BCE. This innovative technology revolutionized the artform. We can appreciate such a wide variety of forms and shapes, because the medium of glass has unique physical properties that make for so many more possibilities which would eventually replace a wide variety of pottery and metal wares in the ancient world. Roman glassmakers reached incredible artistic heights with both free-blown vessels and mold blown forms and decorations and were traded far beyond the Roman Empire. Roman glass vessels have been found in Scandinavia, India, and in Han Dynasty tombs in China.
Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection
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#137622
Condition
Stabilized fissures to the body - one reattached piece with radiating fissures. Mineral and earthen deposits grace the walls and handles. Beautiful rainbow iridescence complements the already attractive yellow hues.