Jug
4th century
Medium
Glass, blown technique
Dimensions
8.1 × 6.9 × 5.5 cm (3 3/16 × 2 3/4 × 2 1/8 in.)
Classification
vessel
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
67413
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Glass vessels were part of the luxurious domestic decoration displayed in wealthy households in both urban villas and rural estates in the later Roman and early Byzantine eras (about 300–725), and were used for a variety of purposes, including cosmetic containers, pitchers for water or wine, and small cup for drinking. Byzantine glass craftsmen improved upon the techniques, forms, and decorative motifs they had inherited from their Roman predecessors. An imperial edict of 337 exempted glassworke...
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...