Interesting glass depicting Jewish symbols and ritual objects. Green glass in two layers, gold leaf and enamel – Rome, dia. 11 cm; al. 1 cm – 4th century – Carpegna Collection – Inv. 60733 – Christian Museum, Vatican City
The “golden glass” of the Christian Museum comes from the collections of the Chigi, Carpegna, Buonarroti and Vettori, supplemented by finds in the catacombs. This glass production in Rome, in the 3rd and 4th centuries AD, is distinguished by gold leaf decorations, mostly Christian subjects (although there is no shortage of pagan or Jewish themes and family portraits), enclosed in two layers of glass and placed at the bottom of plates or bowls, or as small “bubbles” in coloured glass that are placed to decorate the walls of glassware. On the other hand, genuine medallions with a predominantly blue background, with very elaborate portraits made of gold leaf and silver, by Alexandrian craftsmen who may have worked in Rome, date from the earliest phase (the third century AD). Roman production workshops – III-IV centuries AD. Glass, gold leaf, sometimes in combination with silver leaf, and in some examples – enamel details.
