Bell Beaker

Art Historical Context

This delicate Bell Beaker, crafted by an unknown Frankish artisan in the 6th–7th century, exemplifies refined glassmaking traditions of early medieval Europe. Standing just 4 5/16 x 2 3/8 inches (11 x 6.1 cm), its bell-shaped form—wide at the mouth and tapering to a narrow base—suggests it was designed for drinking or pouring liquids, a common vessel type in daily life or ceremonial settings. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Medieval Department, it entered the collection as a gift from J. Pierpont Morgan 1917, highlighting the era's crossover between industrial craft and artistic exp...