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HOME :
Classical Antiquities :
Ancient Glass : Late Roman Cylindrical Glass Vase
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Late Roman Cylindrical Glass Vase - G.1002
Origin: Eastern Mediterranean
Circa: 300
AD
to 400
AD
Dimensions:
5" (12.7cm) high
x 2.75" (7.0cm) wide
Catalogue: V1
Collection: Classical
Medium: Glass
Additional Information: Found in Samaria
$1,800.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
The passage of centuries has graced this
splendid vessel with a glowing
iridescence, making it look as if carved
from a rare gemstone. The elegant purity
of its shape appeals to the modern eye
as much as it would have pleased the
ancient, proving that classical beauty
never goes out of fashion.
In the world of terracotta vessels,
marble sculpture, and bronze adornment
that was the Classical world, no
material was prized so much as glass.
The material itself was rare, and the
process of its forging so laborious,
that few artisans took the time
necessary to develop the skill. It would
have required years of experience for a
glass-maker to yield a piece of this
quality. This piece demonstrates not
only an intimate understanding of the
glassmaker’s craft but an equally
delicate knowledge of the human form.
Feel how perfectly the orb-shaped base
fits into your hand. Notice how easily
and comfortably your finger curves
around the supple spout. When we notice
how perfectly suited this vessel is for
the human touch, it reminds us that this
piece of art was created not only for
the sake of beauty, but for utility.
Imagine the wonderful existence of the
Roman aristocrat who possessed this
piece. Every cup he drained, every chair
he sat upon, every door-handle he turned
was crafted with infinite elegance and
complete originality. To turn this piece
over in our hands is to transport
ourselves into a dimension in which
every aspect of the ordinary is laced
with incomparable beauty, and meticulous
grace. While we enshrine magnificent
pieces such as this bit of glass, there
was once a time where everything in
one’s world was of its quality. To
possess it is to delicately hold, for
the last time, a shred of a world where
opulence, creativity, and the pursuit of
the rare and exceptional were once as
plentiful as glass is in the modern
world.
- (G.1002)
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