Beaker
- Place of origin:
- Date:
early 16th century (made)
- Artist/Maker:
- Materials and Techniques:
Blown glass, enamelled and gilt
- Credit Line:
Wilfred Buckley Collection
- Museum number:
- Gallery location:
- Download image
This goblet was made in Venice, by the famous glassblowers on the island of Murano. The decoration, in gold leaf and painted enamels, was applied after the goblet had been shaped and cooled. The glass then went back into the mouth of the furnace, where the enamels would melt and fuse with the glass surface. Once fired, the enamels cannot be rubbed off.
Finely decorated glass from Murano was a luxury product, much more expensive than glass made for daily use at other local Italian glass workshops.
Leading families thoughout Italy and also beyond, ordered their finest glass from Venice. Single dishes and goblets, decorated with family arms, have survived from the Renaissance period, but it is possible that they were once part of more extensive sets.
The Salviati were one of the leading families from Florence. They are known to have ordered several sets of decorated tin-glazed earthenware (maiolica) bearing their coat of arms. This goblet is the only surving glass with their arms.
Physical description
Goblet of colourless glass, with enamelled decoration, with two depictions of the arms of Salviati in red and white, with yellow scrolls, and a border below the rim of blue and red dots with gilded scale pattern.
Place of Origin
Venice, Italy (made)
Date
early 16th century (made)
Artist/maker
Unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Blown glass, enamelled and gilt
Dimensions
Height: 13.2 cm, Diameter: 10 cm, Weight: 0.1 kg
Object history note
The arms are of the Salviati family of Florence, who probably ordered and owned it.
Historical context note
Finely decorated glass from Murano was a luxury product, much more expensive than glass made for daily use at other local Italian glass workshops.
Leading families thoughout Italy and also beyond, ordered their finest glass from Venice. Single dishes and goblets, decorated with family arms, have survived from the Renaissance period, but it is possible that they were once part of more extensive sets.
The Salviati were one of the leading families from Florence. They are known to have ordered several sets of decorated tin-glazed earthenware (maiolica) bearing their coat of arms. This goblet is the only surving glass with their arms.
Descriptive line
Beaker, Italy (Venice), glass, 1500-20
Exhibition History
Venetian Glass from the 15th Century to the Present (Musée Maillol 13/03/2013-15/07/2013)
Labels and date
Decorated with the arms of Salviati
GOBLET
1500-20
This goblet probably held wine, widely drunk at a time when water quality was unreliable. The fine, colourless glass ('cristallo') was a speciality of the island of Murano. It would have been much more expensive than glass produced elsewhere.
Italy, Venice
Blown glass with enamelled and gilt decoration
With the arms of the Salviati family of Florence
Museum no. C.174-1936
Wilfred Buckley Collection [2008]
Materials
Glass
Techniques
Gilding; Enamelling
Categories
Glass; Drinking
Collection code
CER
