Patella Cup
1st century
Medium
Decorative Arts-Glass
Classification
Decorative Arts-Glass
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of John Gellatly
Accession Number
1929.8.170.12
Art Historical Context
Step into the ancient world with the *Patella Cup*, a glass vessel from the 1st century crafted by an unidentified artisan. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Decorative Arts-Glass collection, this piece was generously gifted by collector John Gellatly. after the Latin term for a shallow, knee-cap-shaped bowl, the patella cup exemplifies early Roman glassware, prized for both everyday use and as a status symbol among the elite. In the 1st century, glassmaking reached new heights during the Roman Empire, transitioning from costly luxury items to more accessible wares thanks to inn...
About the Artist
Unidentified ( ) · –