Medallion with Portrait

Object Name: 
Medallion with Portrait

Notice of Upcoming Content and Access Change

The Museum is working on the future of our online collections access. A new version will be available later in 2023. During this transition period, the current version of the Collections Browser may have reduced functionality and data may be not be updated. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. For any questions or concerns, please contact us.

What is AAT?

The Art & Architecture Thesaurus (AAT) (r) is a structured vocabulary for generic concepts related to art and architecture. It was developed by The Getty Research Institute to help research institutions become consistent in the terminology they use.Learn More

Object Name: 
Medallion with Portrait
Place Made: 
Accession Number: 
90.1.3
Dimensions: 
Overall D: .4 cm, Diam (max): 4.9 cm
Location: 
On Display
Date: 
about 300
Credit Line: 
Purchased in part with donated funds from the Clara S. Peck Endowment Fund
Web Description: 
Gold-foil decoration, cut to create a portrait, is sandwiched between two fused layers of glass. The Latin inscription “ANATOLI GAVDEAS” means “Anatolius, rejoice!”
Department: 
Provenance: 
Tyszkiewicz, Count Michel (Polish, 1828-1897), Former Collection
1898
Sheppard and Cooper, Ltd., Source
1990-12-21
Galerie Ratton Ladriere, Former Collection
Category: 
Material: 
Inscription: 
ANATOLI GAVDEAS (Anatolius, rejoice!)
Inscription
Primary Description: 
Medallion with Portrait. Colorless and translucent blue glass, gold, white paint; blown, gilded, enameled, cut. Colorless glass over translucent deep blue glass; glass elements probably case separately and at least partially ground and polished; gold leaf and pigment applied to upper surface of deep blue glass; colorless glass then placed over decorated surface and both elements heated until they fused; after annealing, upper surface of colorless glass and edges ground and polished as necessary. Circular, flat medallion decorated with bust of female, shown full face with hair combed back from forehead in series of waves and with thick eyebrows; wearing mantle over high chiton with nearly-vertical corrugations; in background, Latin inscription in capital letters consisting of two words, one on each side of figure: ANATOLI GAVDEAS (Anatolius, rejoice!); around border, but not in front of bust, which extends to edge of medallion, running scroll of ivy leaves.
Ancient and Islamic Glass: Selections from the Corning Museum of Glass (2019) illustrated, pp. 80-81;
Gold-Band Glass: From Hellenistic to Roman Luxury Glass Production (2019) illustrated, p. 17 (fig. 6);
Le Médaillon en verre doré au portrait d'Aristion, deuxième moitié du IIIe siècle apr. J.-C. (2017) illustrated, p. 95; BIB# AI104486
A Catalogue of the Late Antique Gold Glass in the British Museum (2015) illustrated, p.16;
Birzu grafai Tiskeviciai ir ju palikimas (Counts Tyskiewisz of Birzai and their heritage) (2008) illustrated, p. 272, fig. 1049; p 304 (color); BIB# 107227
Roman Glass in The Corning Museum of Glass, Volume Two (2001) pp. 241-242, pl. 828; BIB# 58895
The Corning Museum of Glass: A Decade of Glass Collecting 1990-1999 (2000) illustrated, pp. 11, 13, #3; BIB# 65446
Glass, Gold, and Gold-Glasses (1996) illustrated, p. 8, fig. 6; title page; BIB# AI1414
The Corning Museum of Glass Annual Report 1991 (1992) illustrated, title page; BIB# AI96378
Recent Important Acquisitions, 33 (1991) illustrated, p. 96, #2; BIB# AI27386