DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32044#0018
12
INTRODUCTION.
as the former. It is even aiserted, that in Cairo and other cities, the
artificial vases were as highly valued as those of the real yeschm, and that
enormous prices were given for them. The Chinese have equally well
imitated their ju stone, which was too costly for persons of moderate
fortune.
The glass-houses of Alexandria were highly celebrated among the
ancients for the ikill and ingenuity of their workmen ; and from thence
the Romans, who did not acquire a knowledge of the art till a later
period, procured all their glass ware. During the reign of Nero, how-
ever, great improvements were made in Roman glass. The perfedtly
clear glass, which bore the nearest resemblance to crystal, was so highly
valued, that Nero is stated to have given for two cups, of no extra-
ordinary size, with two handles, 6000 sestertia, or nearly 50,000/. ster-
ling. The superior kinds of glass were in such extensive use in the
time of Pliny, as to have almost superseded cups of gold and silver.
Hence, the manufadture would appear to have been confined to articles
of luxury, such as vessels of glass to imitate precious stones, intended for
cutting by the lathe, by Roman or Grecian artists resident in Rome, in
the style of cameos in relief.
In the Britiih Museum are preserved many specimens of fragments of
vases, and small pieces of white opaque enamel glass, upon blue and ame-
thyst transparent grounds, supporting the probability of this opinion.
White crystal glass, without lead, cut to imitate rock-crystal, was then
known ; although the introdudlion of lead into white glass was, till re-
cently, supposed to be of Britiih origin.
The most celebrated ancient glass vase now in existence, is that which
for more than two centuries formed the principal ornament of the Bar-
barini palace, and now deposited in the Britiih Museum, and known as
the Portland Vase. It was found about the middle of the sixteenth cen-
tury, enclosed in a marble sarcophagus, within a sepulchral chamber
under the Monte del grano, two miles and a half from Rome, on the
road to Frascati. It is ornamented with white opaque figures in bas-
lief, upon a dark blue transparent ground. The design is admirable, and
the execution most exquisite ; but the subjedl has not yet received any
satisfadlory elucidation. The whole of the blue ground, or at least the
part below the upper welding of the handle, was originally covered with
white enamel, out of which the figures have been sculptured in the style
of a cameo, with astoniihing ikill and labour. In the possefîion of R.
W. Hamilton, Esq. is a fragment of a vase, which seems to be the ne
plus ultra of the chemical and manipulatory powers of the ancient glass-
makers.
INTRODUCTION.
as the former. It is even aiserted, that in Cairo and other cities, the
artificial vases were as highly valued as those of the real yeschm, and that
enormous prices were given for them. The Chinese have equally well
imitated their ju stone, which was too costly for persons of moderate
fortune.
The glass-houses of Alexandria were highly celebrated among the
ancients for the ikill and ingenuity of their workmen ; and from thence
the Romans, who did not acquire a knowledge of the art till a later
period, procured all their glass ware. During the reign of Nero, how-
ever, great improvements were made in Roman glass. The perfedtly
clear glass, which bore the nearest resemblance to crystal, was so highly
valued, that Nero is stated to have given for two cups, of no extra-
ordinary size, with two handles, 6000 sestertia, or nearly 50,000/. ster-
ling. The superior kinds of glass were in such extensive use in the
time of Pliny, as to have almost superseded cups of gold and silver.
Hence, the manufadture would appear to have been confined to articles
of luxury, such as vessels of glass to imitate precious stones, intended for
cutting by the lathe, by Roman or Grecian artists resident in Rome, in
the style of cameos in relief.
In the Britiih Museum are preserved many specimens of fragments of
vases, and small pieces of white opaque enamel glass, upon blue and ame-
thyst transparent grounds, supporting the probability of this opinion.
White crystal glass, without lead, cut to imitate rock-crystal, was then
known ; although the introdudlion of lead into white glass was, till re-
cently, supposed to be of Britiih origin.
The most celebrated ancient glass vase now in existence, is that which
for more than two centuries formed the principal ornament of the Bar-
barini palace, and now deposited in the Britiih Museum, and known as
the Portland Vase. It was found about the middle of the sixteenth cen-
tury, enclosed in a marble sarcophagus, within a sepulchral chamber
under the Monte del grano, two miles and a half from Rome, on the
road to Frascati. It is ornamented with white opaque figures in bas-
lief, upon a dark blue transparent ground. The design is admirable, and
the execution most exquisite ; but the subjedl has not yet received any
satisfadlory elucidation. The whole of the blue ground, or at least the
part below the upper welding of the handle, was originally covered with
white enamel, out of which the figures have been sculptured in the style
of a cameo, with astoniihing ikill and labour. In the possefîion of R.
W. Hamilton, Esq. is a fragment of a vase, which seems to be the ne
plus ultra of the chemical and manipulatory powers of the ancient glass-
makers.