Glass mosaic inlay
Unknown Artist
Deep purple ground, appearing black; decoration in opaque yellow and red.
Rectangular, thin, flat plaque, with slightly beveled edges.
Symmetrical lotus and palmette motif, with two long lotus flowers flanked by double spiral volutes and two palmettes at each end; above, continuous wave pattern.
Broken and repaired with holes and cracks, and irregular edges; upper side ground and polished; pitted surface bubbles, weathering on edges and back.
The inlay is made from two sections cut from the same cane of mosaic glass, with decoration appearing in mirror image.
Credit: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
1st century B.C.–1st century A.D.
Glass
5.3 x 5.3 cm
17.194.383
Image and text © Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2018
Where you'll find this
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Permanent collection
