Glass cup in the shape of a Black African's head

Roman

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 171

Translucent pale blue green.

Uneven knocked-off, slightly inverted rim; flaring neck; plastic body; flaring base with circular, flat bottom. Mold seams visible to either side of face, slightly misaligned on proper right side, extending to the top of the body.

Body in the shape of a Black African head with hair arranged in vertical plaits; there are eleven short plaits over the forehead, two longer plaits in front of his ears, and four tiers of fifteen long plaits on the back of his head; he wears a wreath, tied at the back of his head and extending above his ears to his forehead, consists of leaves and berries; his brow are knit, his long eyebrows are arched, his ears are large and well defined, his eyes have small round pupils, his cheeks are plump, his nose is broad, his mouth is open (as if in a grimace), showing his teeth, and his chin is dimpled; he wears small spherical earrings that hang down from the bottom of his ear lobes. On the bottom, three raised, unevenly spaced, concentric circles.

Intact; some bubbles; pitting, creamy weathering, and brilliant iridescence on exterior; thick whitish weathering and iridescence on interior

A small number of other cups probably from the same mold are known.

Glass cup in the shape of a Black African's head, Glass, Roman

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