Mosaic glass inlay

Unknown

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

Opaque streaky red ground; decoration in opaque white, yellow, and red, partly translucent purple appearing black and light blue, and colorless glass. Thin, rectangular plaque, cut from a mosaic composite bar, with flat front, uneven back, and vertical straight sides, with sharp corners; design extends uniformly through the thickness of the plaque. Proper right side of female head with white face, outlined in purple; features delineated in blue, with red lips; hair in rows of purple tresses outlined in yellow, with three corkscrew curls hanging below side of face; above hair, another thick outline in purple and yellow diadem with four projecting spikes. Intact, but some chips along edges; glossy surfaces to back and edges; front ground and polished; pitting of surface bubbles.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1st century BCE–1st century CE

Medium

Glass

Culture

Roman, probably Egyptian

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

Fletcher Fund, 1942