Beaker

Beaker

Public Domain

Beaker
CultureSyrian (probably)
Titles
  • Beaker
Date13th century
MediumGlass; blown, tooled, enameled, gilded, and worked on the pontil
Dimensions4 1/8 × 3 1/2 in. diameter (10.5 × 8.9 cm)
Credit LineMuseum purchase
Object number70.110
Current Location
The Caroline Wiess Law Building
113 Islamic Art Gallery
On view

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Department
Art of the Islamic Worlds
Object Type
DescriptionIslamic artisans inherited glassmaking techniques and decorative repertoires developed by the Romans, Byzantines, and Sasanians. The MFAH glass objects on view exemplify some of the principal techniques and decorative innovations of early Islamic glassmakers. Mold-blown glass introduces inflated glass into a mold of wood or baked clay, carved with patterns in negative.Marvered glass is created by rolling molten glass against a marver, a strong flat surface containing glass pieces or trails. This allows colored glass pieces to adhere to the surface in intricate patterns. Cameo glass results from layering glass of different colors and carving it deeply enough so that the contrast color forms the design. Enameled glass is painted with vitreous enamel, or powdered glass, then fired to fuse different colors and designs.
ProvenanceRay Winfield Smith, Houston; purchased by MFAH, 1970.

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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Glass; mold blown, tooled, and worked on the pontil
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Glass; blown, tooled, applied, and worked on the pontil
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9th–10th century
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9th–10th century
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11th–13th century
Glass; mold blown, tooled, and worked on the pontil
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Beaker
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c. 9th–10th century
Glass; blown, layered, and tooled, and relief cut (cameo technique)
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11th–12th century
Glass; blown, tooled, and applied
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Overall front
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Overall front
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late 19th–early 20th century
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Overall front
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mid–late 19th century
Silver; fire-gilded and chased, with decorative wire, chains, openwork, and table-cut carnelians.
2023.585
Overall front
Armband
late 19th–early 20th century
Silver; fire-gilded and chased, with table-cut carnelians.
2023.587