Cup
8th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Lustre pigments were used on glass vessels before they were used on ceramics. Glassmakers in Egypt were using them in the period 700-800, when this piece was made. Here they have been applied as a brown and yellow vine-scroll design on both the inside and outside of the clear glass. This two-colour combination is also found on the earliest lustre-decorated ceramics.
The technique of lustre decoration on ceramics was first developed in Iraq in the 9th century. The basic technique for both glass and ceramics was the same. A vessel (glazed if ceramic) was made in the normal way. When the piece had cooled, the design was painted on in metallic compounds. The piece was then fired again, this time with a restricted supply of oxygen. In these conditions, the metallic compounds broke down, and a thin deposit of copper or silver was left on the surface of the glaze. When polished, this surface layer reflected the light.
The technique of lustre decoration on ceramics was first developed in Iraq in the 9th century. The basic technique for both glass and ceramics was the same. A vessel (glazed if ceramic) was made in the normal way. When the piece had cooled, the design was painted on in metallic compounds. The piece was then fired again, this time with a restricted supply of oxygen. In these conditions, the metallic compounds broke down, and a thin deposit of copper or silver was left on the surface of the glaze. When polished, this surface layer reflected the light.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Glass, with lustre-painted decoration |
| Brief description | Glass cup with lustre-painted decoration of a vine scroll, Syria, 700-800. |
| Physical description | Cup of bluish glass with reddish-brownish lustre painted decoration of vine scroll departing from vase covering body of vessel. Very finely blown. Broken and repaired with parts missing. Slight kick, pontil mark. Oxidization to some decoration. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Gallery label |
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| Object history | Bought from Spink and Son Ltd. with C.23-1932 and C.23-29 for £420. |
| Historical context | The earliest technique of glass painting in the Islamic world involves the application of a monochrome brownish or yellowish metallic pigment, usually on pale-aquamarine coloured bowls, although other types of objects such as drinking horns and dishes are not uncommon. These 8th or 9th century creations generally feature sketchy figurative or vegetal patterns, and sometimes inscriptions in cursive or kufic calligraphy. By applying pigments to both sides of open-shaped vessels, glassmakers highlighted details or outlines and exploited the transparent glass wall in order to create shading effects. This type of glass decoration was probably developed by Coptic craftsmen who settled in Egypt but it is likely such glass was also made in Syria. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Lustre pigments were used on glass vessels before they were used on ceramics. Glassmakers in Egypt were using them in the period 700-800, when this piece was made. Here they have been applied as a brown and yellow vine-scroll design on both the inside and outside of the clear glass. This two-colour combination is also found on the earliest lustre-decorated ceramics. The technique of lustre decoration on ceramics was first developed in Iraq in the 9th century. The basic technique for both glass and ceramics was the same. A vessel (glazed if ceramic) was made in the normal way. When the piece had cooled, the design was painted on in metallic compounds. The piece was then fired again, this time with a restricted supply of oxygen. In these conditions, the metallic compounds broke down, and a thin deposit of copper or silver was left on the surface of the glaze. When polished, this surface layer reflected the light. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Other number | 8259 - Glass gallery number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.24-1932 |
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| Record created | December 13, 1997 |
| Record URL |
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