Glass striped mosaic fragment
Unknown Artist
late 1st century BCE–early 1st century CE
Medium
Glass
Dimensions
Other: 1 1/8 x 15/16 in. (2.8 x 2.4 cm)
Classification
Glass
Culture & Period
Roman · Early Imperial
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891
Accession Number
91.1.1852
Art Historical Context
This delicate glass striped mosaic fragment, to the late 1st century BCE through the early 1st CE, offers a glimpse into the sophisticated artistry of Early Imperial Rome. Measuring just 1 1/8 x 15/16 inches (2.8 x 2.4 cm), this tiny piece—now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Greek and Roman Art Department—was part of the Edward C. Moore Collection bequeathed in 189. Its vibrant stripes, created through intricate glassworking, evoke the opulence of Roman decorative objects, possibly from a vessel, inlay, or architectural element. Roman glassmakers excelled in mosaic techniques durin...