Glass bowl with painted lid

Unknown

2nd century CE · Glass · Greek and Roman Art

Bowl (17.194.88a): Translucent blue green. Everted, knocked-off rim, with ground upper edge; narrow concave neck; sack-shaped body with side expanding downwards to rounded carination, then sloping inwards; small bottom, pushed in to form tall spike-like kick. On side above carination, two narrow wheel-abraded horizontal bands. Complete but one vertical crack from rim down side; few bubbles; soil encrustation, slight dulling, and creamy brown weathering. Lid (17.194.88b): Translucent blue green. Rim turned down and inwards with unworked inner lip; concave upper surface. Decoration in black lines on interior: woman seated to right but head turned to left with bare upper body and drapery below, flanked at bottom with flowers; objects in field to left (altar and offerings?). Intact; few bubbles; patches of creamy weathering and brilliant iridescence. Painted on the inside of the lid is a sketched drawing, possibly of the goddess Aphrodite. Similar vessels, decorated on the lid with various figures in black ink, are known principally from Cyprus.

Artist

Unknown

Date

2nd century CE

Medium

Glass

Culture

Roman, Cypriot

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917