Medallion
18th century
Medium
Glass paste
Dimensions
Overall: 1 3/4 × 1 1/8 in. (4.4 × 2.9 cm)
Classification
Glass
Culture
British, London
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Mary Clark Thompson, 1923
Accession Number
24.80.56
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate *Medallion* by James Tassie, in the 18th, exemplifies the Scottish artist's mastery of glass paste—a innovative medium that mimicked the luster and durability of ancient gems and cameos. Measuring just 1 3/4 × 1 1/8 inches, this petite British work from London features a finely engraved female profile, capturing the classical ideal of beauty with elegant lines and subtle modeling. Tassie's glass paste, a fine vitreous compound fired to porcelain-like hardness, allowed for intricate details rivaling precious stones, making high art accessible beyond the elite. In the Enlightenmen...
About the Artist
James Tassie · 1735–1799
James Tassie (1735–1799) was a Scottish modeler and gem engraver who became one of the most celebrated producers of portrait medallions and reproductions of antique gems in eighteenth-century Europe. Born near Glasgow, Tassie initially trained as a mason's apprentice before his artistic talents drew him toward finer work. Moving to Dublin, he collaborated with the physician and amateur chemist Hen...