Bowl
Unknown Artist
ca. 1885
Medium
Blown brown and white opaque satin glass
Dimensions
H. 2 in. (5.1 cm)
Classification
Bowl
Culture
British
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Emily Winthrop Miles, 1946
Accession Number
46.140.216
Art Historical Context
This delicate bowl, crafted around 1885 by an unknown British artist, exemplifies the Victorian era's fascination with ornamental glassware. Standing just 2 inches (5.1 cm) tall, it was made from blown brown and white opaque satin glass technique where molten glass is blown into shape, then treated with hydrofluoric acid to create a soft, velvety matte finish. The contrasting brown and white swirls add a subtle elegance, making it ideal as a small trinket dish or candy bowl for affluent homes. Satin glass surged in popularity during the 1880s Aesthetic Movement in Britain, blending industrial...