Footed Beaker

Art Historical Context

This delicate footed beaker, crafted in the 4th–5th during the late Roman Empire, exemplifies the artistry of Roman glassmaking. Standing just 6 3/8 inches tall, its slender form with a sturdy foot made it ideal for serving wine or other beverages at symposia or daily meals. Roman glass vessels like this were not mere utilities but symbols of sophistication, produced in workshops across the Empire from Syria to Gaul using innovative blown-glass techniques that allowed for thin, elegant shapes unattainable in earlier eras. Glassblowing, perfected by Romans around the 1st century BCE, revolutio...