Ritual Flask
6th–7th century
Medium
Glass, mold-blown techinique
Classification
vessel
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
62093
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). Glass vessels were used for a variety of purposes, including cosmetic containers. In the kitchen and for dining, pitchers served water and wine, and small cups were used for drinking. Glass was also used for lamps to light the home. Byzantine glass craftsmen improved upon the techniques, forms, and decora...
About the Artist
Byzantine
"Byzantine" is the collective attribution given to anonymous artists working within the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, whose creations spanned from the 4th to the 15th centuries, primarily in Constantinople and its cultural sphere. These masters produced a vast body of art that defined an era, with museums like the Walters Art Museum and the Art Institute of Chicago cataloging numerous works un...