Kuttrolf (Bottle with Divided Neck)
4th century
Medium
Glass, blown technique
Dimensions
21.2 × 5.7 × 5.7 cm (8 3/8 × 2 1/4 × 2 1/4 in.)
Classification
vessel
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
54544
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Byzantine glassmakers refined the techniques they inherited from their Roman predecessors, creating objects with increasingly elaborate forms and complex decorative elements to flaunt their skills. Cosmetic containers were often adorned with fine strands (trails) of glass that required a steady hand and rapid execution, while other vessels look quite complex yet were easily made. Glass continued to be used in objects of personal adornment such as jewelry, both as a material in its own right and ...
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...