Goblet
Unknown Artist
ca. 1500–1525
Medium
Colorless (slightly grayish tan) nonlead glass. Blown, pattern molded, enameled, gilt.
Dimensions
H. 3.2 cm; diam. of rim 8.2 cm
Classification
Glass
Culture
Italian (Venice)
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.1198
Art Historical Context
This delicate goblet, crafted in Venice around 1500–1525, exemplifies the Renaissance mastery of Italian glassmaking. Hailing from the vibrant hub of Murano, where glass artisans honed secretive techniques, it stands just 3.2 cm tall with an impressively wide 8.2 cm rim—perfect for communal toasts or serving aromatic wines at elite banquets. Its slightly gray tan, colorless nonlead glass reflects the era's push for clarity and purity, rivaling rock crystal in luxury. The goblet's creation involved sophisticated methods: blown to shape the form, pattern-molded for textured surfaces, then ename...