Bell Beaker
Unknown Artist
5th century
Medium
Glass
Dimensions
Overall: 4 1/4 x 2 15/16 in. (10.8 x 7.4 cm)
Classification
Glass-Vessels
Culture
Roman
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.191.357
Art Historical Context
Step into the ancient world with this delicate Bell Beaker, a 5th-century Roman glass vessel now housed in the Metropolitan Museum Art's Medieval Art department Crafted by an unknown artisan, it measures a modest 4¼ x 2⅞ inches (10.8 x 7.4 cm), perfect for sipping wine or water in a Roman household. Its elegant bell shape exemplifies the refined utility of Roman tableware, blending everyday function with subtle artistry. Roman glassmaking reached impressive heights by Late Antiquity, with techniques like free-blowing allowing for thin, translucent forms that captured light beautifully. This b...