Unidentified (Roman Empire), Goblet, 1st century AD, blown, hot-worked, lathe-cut, and applied glass, 4 7⁄8 × 3 3⁄8 in. (12.4 × 8.6 cm) diam., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of John Gellatly, 1929.8.174.3
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Artwork Details
- Title
- Goblet
- Artist
- Unidentified (Roman Empire)
- Date
- 1st century AD
- Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- 4 7⁄8 × 3 3⁄8 in. (12.4 × 8.6 cm) diam.
- Credit Line
- Gift of John Gellatly
- Mediums Description
- blown, hot-worked, lathe-cut, and applied glass
- Classifications
- Object Number
- 1929.8.174.3
Artwork Description
Ancient glass beguiled artists and connoisseurs with its rich colors and irregularities--signs of hand workmanship that distinguished these vessels from factory-made glass. For John Gellatly, such imperfections likely added to their value; these were favorites within his vast collection, objects that he allegedly "sat fingering late into the night," according to a reporter at the time of their donation to the Smithsonian Institution.
Sargent, Whistler, and Venetian Glass: American Artists and the Magic of Murano, 2021.
