Pier Glass
1850–1904
Medium
Pen and ink and watercolor
Classification
Drawings|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Jessie F. Hume, 1930
Accession Number
30.16.4
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Pier Glass** by Robert William Hume (1850–1904) is a delicate pen and ink drawing heightened with watercolor, capturing the elegance of Victorian-era ornamental design. Depicting a pier glass—a tall, arched mirror typically placed between windows in grand parlors—this work exemplifies the intricate architectural ornamentation popular in 19th-century Britain and America. Hume, known for his precise renderings of decorative elements, showcases the mirror's elaborate frame with scrolling foliage, gilded accents, and symmetrical motifs, evoking the opulence of high-style interiors. Created duri...
About the Artist
Robert William Hume · 1816–1904
Robert William Hume (1816–1904) was a British artist and craftsman who contributed to the documentation of decorative arts and design in nineteenth-century Britain. Working during the Victorian era, Hume was part of a generation of artists and designers who combined artistic skill with antiquarian interests, producing detailed studies and records of historical objects, ornamental patterns, and arc...