Glass mosaic inlay

Unknown

1st century BCE–1st century CE · Glass · Greek and Roman Art

Deep purple ground, appearing black; decoration in opaque yellow and red. Rectangular, thin, flat plaque, with slightly beveled edges. Symmetrical lotus and palmette motif, with two long lotus flowers flanked by double spiral volutes and two palmettes at each end; above, continuous wave pattern. Broken and repaired with holes and cracks, and irregular edges; upper side ground and polished; pitted surface bubbles, weathering on edges and back. The inlay is made from two sections cut from the same cane of mosaic glass, with decoration appearing in mirror image.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1st century BCE–1st century CE

Medium

Glass

Culture

Egyptian, Roman

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917