Fragment of a Bowl
1st century BCE–1st century CE
Medium
Glass, mosaic glass technique
Dimensions
3.8 × 5.7 × 1 cm (1 1/2 × 2 1/4 × 3/8 in.)
Classification
fragment
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
67682
Art Historical Context
This delicate fragment of a Roman bowl dating from the 1st century to the 1st CE, offers a glimpse the sophisticated world of ancient glassmaking. Crafted using the innovative mosaic glass technique—where slender rods of colored glass were fused together, sliced thin, and arranged to form intricate patterns—this small piece (just 3.8 × 5.7 × 1 cm) once belonged to a larger luxury vessel. Such bowls were prized possessions, showcasing the Roman Empire's mastery of materials and design during its expansive golden age. Mosaic glass, a hallmark of Roman artistry, emerged around this period as a l...
About the Artist
Ancient Roman
The artists attributed to "Ancient Roman" in museum collections represent the anonymous craftsmen who produced the vast output of sculpture, frescoes, mosaics, and reliefs defining Roman visual culture from the Republic (c. 509–27 BCE) to the late Empire (c. 395 CE). Individual identities remain elusive, as Roman makers were typically viewed as skilled tradesmen—often enslaved Greeks or provincial...