Glass hemispherical mosaic bowl

Greek, probably Eastern Mediterranean

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 163

Translucent purple, translucent light blue, opaque white, and opaque yellow.
Slightly uneven vertical rim; convex side, tapering downward; slightly concave bottom.
Composite mosaic pattern formed from polygonal sections of three canes: the first in a purple ground with a white spiral and central blue circle; the second in a blue ground with a white spiral and central purple circle, and the third in a blue ground with a yellow spiral, appearing green and central purple circle; a purple cane wound spirally with two fine threads in white and yellow is attached as a rim.
Broken and repaired, with one patch of fill; some pitting and dulling, iridescence, and weathering, especially on rim.
Rotary grinding marks on interior.

The red, blue, and green mosaic glass of this exquisite bowl was fused, placed over a mold, ground, and then polished. Hemispherical bowls were an especially popular form of mosaic glassware, perhaps because they show off the polychrome decoration to good effect.

Glass hemispherical mosaic bowl, Glass, Greek, probably Eastern Mediterranean

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