Wide-Bottomed Flask
3rd century
Medium
Glass, blown technique
Dimensions
10.8 × 12.4 × 12.4 cm (4 1/4 × 4 7/8 × 4 7/8 in.)
Classification
vessel
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
67389
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The iridescent sheen on this flask, an artificially created effect sought after by 19th-century glassmaking innovators such as Louis Comfort Tiffany, was not actually intended by or known to their makers. Because of their association with luxury and precious oils and perfumes, these vessels were often buried with their owners in tombs, the chemical conditions of which, over time, have caused the surfaces to deteriorate, resulting in the shimmering, often opalescent, hues that appeal to the moder...
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...