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Six-Sided Box

3rd century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 301
Small six-sided boxes such as this one, with millefiore enamel, have been found all over Europe, including Germany, Poland, and the Ukraine. In this technique, the artist fuses together glass rods of different colors. The multicolored rods are then cut into cross-sections, which are placed in a metal base and heated sufficiently for them to adhere. The result is intricate pattern of flowers and checkerboards.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Six-Sided Box
  • Date: 3rd century
  • Culture: Late Roman
  • Medium: Champlevé enamel, bronze, inlaid with millefiore enamel
  • Dimensions: Overall: 2 7/16 x 2 1/4 x 2 1/16 in. (6.2 x 5.7 x 5.3 cm)
  • Classification: Enamels-Champlevé
  • Credit Line: Fletcher Fund, 1947
  • Object Number: 47.100.7
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters

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