Six-Sided Box

Unknown

3rd century · Champlevé enamel, bronze, inlaid with millefiore enamel · Medieval Art

Small six-sided boxes such as this one, with millefiore enamel, have been found all over Europe, including Germany, Poland, and the Ukraine. In this technique, the artist fuses together glass rods of different colors. The multicolored rods are then cut into cross-sections, which are placed in a metal base and heated sufficiently for them to adhere. The result is intricate pattern of flowers and checkerboards.

Artist

Unknown

Date

3rd century

Medium

Champlevé enamel, bronze, inlaid with millefiore enamel

Culture

Late Roman

Department

Medieval Art

Credit line

Fletcher Fund, 1947