Beaker, Bell

Art Historical Context

This delicate bell-shaped beaker, crafted by an unknown Frankish artisan in the 6th–7th century, exemplifies the glassmaking traditions of early medieval Europe. Measuring just over 4 inches tall, its slender form and subtle curves suggest it was designed for both practical use and aesthetic pleasure, holding wine or water during communal feasts. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art Medieval Art department, it entered the collection as a generous gift from financier J. Pierpont Morgan 1917. Frankish glass vessels like this one emerged during the Merovingian period, a time when the Franks ...