Glass head flask

Unknown

4th century CE · Glass, blue · Greek and Roman Art

Translucent cobalt blue, with same color handle and base. Everted rim with cracked off vertical lip; broad funnel-shaped neck, splaying slightly at base; narrow horizontal shoulder; body molded into the shape of a head in the round, with vertical mold marks down sides of head in hair behind ears; below head sides curve in to round bottom; thick trail wound round bottom 3½ times to form splayed base ring; wishbone handle applied to lower half of neck in a large pad, drawn out and up, then tooled into a pinched thumb-rest with acute angle below, and drawn vertically down to back of head and trailed off down to base with decoration of twenty horizontal ribs. The head portrays a youth with long hair arranged in wavy locks at back, reaching to nape of the neck and behind the ears; fringe of straight locks on his forehead; the head has prominent ears, almond-shaped eyes with inset pupils, and a protruding, thick upper lip, pointed nose, and small chin. Intact, except for a small chips at proper right side of head and in base ring; slight encrustation and faint dulling. The head is that of a youth with the large almond-shaped eyes and neat, flowing locks that are typical of Late Roman portraiture.

Artist

Unknown

Date

4th century CE

Medium

Glass, blue

Culture

Roman, eastern Mediterranean

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

Gift of Renée E. and Robert A. Belfer, 2012