"Zodiac" Bowl

Sidney Biehler Waugh|Corning Glass Works, Steuben Division

1935 · Glass · Modern and Contemporary Art

Though the twelve sun signs of the zodiac have their origins in ancient Babylonian astrology, and were further codified during Hellenistic times to accurately to represent the major constellations of the nighttime sky. Here, Waugh renders the theme in a stylized, muscular, modern aesthetic. During the early twentieth century, the Steuben Glass Works built its reputation as a manufacturer of high-quality glassware. An especially high lead content makes their glass blanks highly refractive—a suitable foil to the detailed engraved decoration that characterizes much of the firm's output.

Artist

Sidney Biehler Waugh|Corning Glass Works, Steuben Division

Date

1935

Medium

Glass

Department

Modern and Contemporary Art

Credit line

Purchase, Edward C. Moore Jr. Gift, 1935