Tickets
English
DonateMembershipTickets

Goblet

ca. 1475–1500 (modern foot)
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 500
This fine, deep blue Venetian glass bears exquisite enameling, an early survival of this technique and scale of decoration. The enameling, reminiscent of manuscript illumination, illustrates an apocryphal story about the Latin poet Virgil, transformed in the popular medieval imagination into a magician. Taking revenge on the maiden Febilla who spurned his advances, Virgil magically extinguished all the fires in Rome and cruelly demanded that Febilla be exposed in the marketplace until all of the city's women had rekindled their fires with tapers lighted from an enchanted live coal he had placed inside her body.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Goblet
  • Date: ca. 1475–1500 (modern foot)
  • Culture: Italian, Venice, Murano
  • Medium: Glass, enameled and gilded
  • Dimensions: Overall (confirmed): H. 6 7/8 x W. 3 7/16 in. (17.5 x 8.7 cm); Diameter of cup: 3 1/8 in. (7.9 cm)
  • Classification: Glass
  • Credit Line: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
  • Object Number: 17.190.730a, b
  • Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

More Artwork

More Artwork
Virginal, Wood, parchment, ivory, paint, Italian
Virginal
Italian
1540
Covered Goblet, Salviati and Co. Italian, Gilded reticello glass, Italian, Venice (Murano)
Covered Goblet
Salviati and Co.
Former Attribution Giuseppi Briati
1866–1880
Processional cross, Partly gilt silver, niello, and copper with traces of gilding, over wood, Italian, Florence
Processional cross
Italian, Florence
ca. 1460–80
Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, Francesco Colonna Italian, Printed book with woodcut illustrations
Hypnerotomachia Poliphili
Multiple artists/makers
December 1499
Goblet, Colorless (slightly gray) and transparent dark blue nonlead glass. Blown, pattern molded, gilt., Italian (Venice)
Goblet
Italian (Venice)
ca. 1500

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries and chronologies from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback

Content Notice

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.