Fragment

Art Historical Context

This delicate fragment, dating to around 1150–1250, offers a tantalizing glimpse into medieval craftsmanship. Measuring just 2⅜ inches (6 cm) long, it hails from a glass vessel blending glass and ceramic materials in a classification typical of the era's innovative container designs. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Medieval Art, its uncertain origins—either European or Middle Eastern— the vibrant cultural exchanges along medieval trade routes, from the bustling markets of Venice to the workshops of the Islamic world. Glass vessels like this were prized luxury items, often used for ...