Glass cameo: head of Augustus

Unknown

early 1st century CE · Glass · Greek and Roman Art

Translucent deep amber brown, colorless, and colorless with a bluish tinge. Oval disk in two layers of varying thickness with flat back, ground edge, and gently sloping upper surface; slight undercutting around edge to head; fused to disk, a carved head in high relief. Head of beardless man in three-quarter view to right, wearing a laurel wreath; hair in flowing locks over forehead and to front of proper right ear, eyebrows with parting between bridge of nose, large almond-shaped eyes with small, round pupils, pointed nose, small mouth with pursed lips, and prominent chin. Head intact; disk with broken off chip at bottom right; pinprick bubbles in head; larger bubbles in disk; very little weathering but some dulling on disk.

Artist

Unknown

Date

early 1st century CE

Medium

Glass

Culture

Roman

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

The Cesnola Collection, Purchased by subscription, 1874–76