Glass portrait head of a woman
Semi-opaque streaky blue.
Hollow block pressed into an open mold with irregular tooling marks on inside and ground flat edges around top of head.
Shaped by mold and then details added by carving: long flowing headdress in two folds above hair, falling onto shoulder; hair parted at the center and arranged in flowing locks to either side; arched brows; well-defined eyes with eyelids and upward-looking pupils; straight nose with flaring nostrils; small mouth with pursed lips; small chin; part of dress visible on proper right collar.
Broken across bottom and up proper left side; pinprick and some larger bubbles; pitting of surface bubbles and patches of creamy brown weathering.
This portrait, in glass imitating rare and valuable lapis lazuli, was made by pressing the glass into an open mold. It probably represents the goddess Juno (Greek Hera), the consort of Jupiter Capitolinus, and must have been set up in either a public temple or a rich private sanctuary.
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