Goblet

Art Historical Context

This elegant goblet from late 16th-century Venice exemplifies the pinnacle of Renaissance glassmaking artistry. Crafted from colorless (slightly gray) and white nonlead glass, it stands 17.6 cm tall with a 10.9 cm rim diameter. piece was formed using the blown "vetro a retorti", a hallmark of Venetian innovation where molten glass is blown into shape and intricate threads of opaque white glass are twisted and fused into the clear body, creating mesmerizing spiral or zigzag patterns that catch the light like frozen flames. Venice, particularly the island of Murano, dominated Europe's glass tra...