Beaker thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Medieval & Renaissance, Room 62, The Foyle Foundation Gallery

Beaker

early 16th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

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.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Blown glass, enamelled and gilt
Brief description
Beaker, Italy (Venice), glass, 1500-20
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.
Dimensions
  • Height: 13.2cm
  • Diameter: 10cm
  • Weight: 0.1kg
Measured for the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries
Style
Gallery label
  • 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)
Credit line
Wilfred Buckley Collection
Object history
The arms are of the Salviati family of Florence, who probably ordered and owned it.
Historical context
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.
Summary
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.
Bibliographic reference
Barovier Mentasti, R. and Tonini, C. Murano, chefs-d'oeuvre de verre de la Renaissance au XXIe siecle. Paris: Gallimard, 2013. p.64
Collection
Accession number
C.174-1936

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Record createdDecember 13, 1997
Record URL
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