Blue ribbed bowl (zarte Rippenschale), ca. 50–100 AD
Translucent blue glass, blown, ribs pinched from the finished or half-finished body
(H x Ø)7,6 × 9,5 cm
About the workThese “delicate ribbed bowls” look almost like they were made specifically to draw the attention of the ancient world to the then new technique of glassblowing: the glass is wafer-thin and nestles lightly in the hand like a second skin, but it is given structure and support by the ribs. Nowadays, an item of glassware such as this would be blown into a mould that was already ribbed. Here, however, the ribs are not quite regular and have clearly been individually made by hand.
AccessionGift of Helmut Hentrich 1970
Inventory numberP 1970-531
