Fragmentary Cup with Molded Designs in the Beveled Style
Unknown Artist
9th century
Medium
Glass, colorless; blown, impressed with tongs
Dimensions
H. 2 in. (5.1 cm) Diam. 2 1/2 in. (6.3 cm)
Classification
Glass
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Museum Accession
Accession Number
x.275.3
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate *Fragmentary with Molded Designs in Beveled Style* offers glimpse into the refined world 9th-century Islamicmaking. Crafted from glass, the cup was blown into shape and then impressed with tongs— with patterned jaws that created, angular motifs with a distinctive faceted or "veled" effect. Though a fragment survives (standing 2 inches high and 2½ inches diameter), its subtle sheen and precise detailing highlight the era's mastery of transparency and light play. Dating to the Abbasid, when Islamic artisans in like Syria, Iraq, Egypt pushed glass technology to heights, this piece ...