Possibly Portrait of King Amenhotep II

Object Name: 
Possibly Portrait of King Amenhotep II

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Object Name: 
Possibly Portrait of King Amenhotep II
Place Made: 
Accession Number: 
79.1.4
Dimensions: 
Overall H: 4 cm, W: 2.9 cm, D: 3.4 cm
Location: 
On Display
Date: 
1426-1400 BCE
Credit Line: 
Purchased in part with funds from the Museum Endowment Fund
Web Description: 
Ancient glass sculpture is very rare. This is one of the earliest known glass portraits. It probably shows the head of Amenhotep II, who was ruler of Egypt about 60 years before Tutankhamen. The craft of glassmaking may have been introduced into Egypt during Amenhotep's reign. The head was carefully sculpted, probably with the simplest of tools and considerable effort on the part of the craftsman. Cast in blue glass, the sculpture is now tan in color due to its long burial. Several royal portrait heads in glass are known. They were probably made as parts of composite figures designed to incorporate other materials, such as gold, ivory, and wood.
Department: 
Provenance: 
Benzion, Moise Levy de (1873-1943), Former Collection
1947
Symes, Robin, Source
1979-07-17
Maison Benzion, Former Collection
1947-03
Wildenstein Art Center, Former Collection
Tano Family, Former Collection
Color: 
Technique: 
Material: 
Primary Description: 
Possibly Portrait of King Amenhotep II. Deep blue glass, weathered to opaque tan; cast, cold-worked.
Development history of ancient Chinese glass technology (2021) illustrated, p. 145;
Xian dai bo li yi shu fa zhan zhi lu = Development of contemporary glass art / 现代玻璃艺术发展之路 = Development of contemporary glass art / 韩熙著 (2019) illustrated, p. 3;
Ancient and Islamic Glass: Selections from the Corning Museum of Glass (2019) illustrated, pp. 18-20;
Zhongguo gu dai bo li qi min = Chinese ancient glass (2018) illustrated, p. 47 (fig. 2-5);
La escultura en vidrio (2017) illustrated, p. 115 (fig. 3.3 b);
Zhongguo gu dai bo li ji shu fa zhan shi / 中国古代玻璃技术发展史 / 干福熹等著 (2016) illustrated, p. 074;
Glass: Virtual, Real (2016) illustrated, p. 107; BIB# 167899
Anthropology: A Global Perspective (2015) illustrated, p. 205;
Perspectives: Glimpsing glass structure under pressure (2014-08-29) illustrated, p. 998; BIB# AI98279
Fragiles y asombrosos (2014-05) illustrated, p. 41;
Entrevista: Frágiles y asombrosos (2014-05) illustrated, p. 41; BIB# AI98593
Shanghai bo li bo wu guan = Shanghai Museum of Glass (2014) illustrated, p. 102; BIB# 149066
Escort Guide to the Galleries (2013) illustrated, p. 9, top; BIB# 134015
Escort Guide to the Galleries [V4/2013] (2013) illustrated, p. 11, left; BIB# 134856
A Blue Glass Face Inlay of King Akhenaten (2013) illustrated, pp. 17-19, Fig. 3; BIB# AI98175
Introducing Ancient Glass (2012-04) illustrated, p. 21; BIB# AI98798
Glass: A Short History (The British Museum edition) (2012) illustrated, p. 20; BIB# 135965
Shaping Colour Density, Light and Form in solid Glass Sculpture (2012) illustrated, p. 48, fig. 9; BIB# 131009
Chemical Analyses of Early Glasses (Volume 3) (2012) illustrated, p. 603; BIB# 61154
Im Licht von Amarna (2012) illustrated, p. 112, Abb. 5;
Making Ideas at the Corning Museum of Glass (2012) illustrated, p. 92, upper right; BIB# AI97173
Historia del Vidrio: desarrollo formal, technologico y cientifico (2012) illustrated, Fig. 2, p. 15; BIB# 139172
The Magic of Ceramics (2012) illustrated, p. 25 (fig. 2-8); BIB# 167897
Glass: A Short History (Smithsonian Books edition) (2012) illustrated, p. 20; BIB# 130360
King Amenhotep II (family) (2011)BIB# 131485
King Amenhotep II (adult) (2011)BIB# 131487
Corning Museum of Glass 60 Years (2011) illustrated, p. 13, top center; BIB# 138760
Glass, Knocking at the Door of Art (2010) illustrated, pp. 18-19; BIB# 115616
The Corning Museum of Glass (2009-03) illustrated, p. 10; BIB# AI98465
The Corning Museum of Glass (2009-01) illustrated, p. 233, Fig. 3;
Corning Museum of Glass (2009-01) illustrated, p. 4; BIB# 109342
Mirror Palaces (Palazzi di Specchio) (2008) illustrated, p. 111 (right); BIB# 107172
Frabel: Excellence in Glass Art (2007) illustrated, p. 31; BIB# 100291
Modern Ceramic Engineering: Properties, Processing, and Use in Design (2006) illustrated, p. 14 (fig. 2.2); BIB# 166801
Historie du Verre: L'Antiquite (2005) illustrated, p. 36; BIB# 76552
Antikes Glas (Handbuch der Archaologie) (2004) illustrated, p. 47 (Taf. 34); BIB# 83444
Glass in Art, History, and Science at The Corning Museum of Glass (2003) illustrated, p. 71, no. 22; BIB# AI64198
Richards Complete Bible Dictionary (2002) illustrated, p. 331, #10; BIB# 73428
The Magic of Ceramics (2000) illustrated, p. 25 (fig. 2-4); BIB# 63974
Beauty of Glass (2000) illustrated, p. 18; BIB# 77736
An Introduction to The Corning Museum of Glass (1999) pp. 9-12; ill., p. 9; BIB# AI44099
Uncovering treasures in the Empire State (1999) p. 131 top; BIB# AI43699
Lobmeyr 1823: Helles Glas un klares Licht (1998) illustrated, p. 188; BIB# 58172
Glass and Ophthalmic Glass (1998) illustrated, p. 48 (top);
Le verre et l'optique oculaire (1997) illustrated, pp. 4, 48 (top); BIB# 101632
Enciclopedia Dell'Arte Antica, classica e orientale (1997) illustrated, p. 1023, fig. 1298;
The dictionary of art (1996) illustrated, p. 58 (fig. 108); BIB# 40208
The Corning Museum of Glass, Curators' Choice (1995) illustrated, #1; BIB# 36655
From Grains of Sand (1995) illustrated, p. 25; BIB# AI35558
Understanding Art (1995) illustrated, p. 213; BIB# 108149
Art You Can See Through. The Corning Museum of Glass (1994) p. 14;
The Corning Museum of Glass and the Finger Lakes Region (1993) illustrated, p. 3, #7; pp. 8-9, #12; BIB# 35681
Glass Capturing the Dance of Light (1993) illustrated, p. 45; BIB# AI30595
The Survey of Glass in the World (1992) illustrated, back of dust jacket, upper right corner; BIB# 44518
The Revell Concise Bible Dictionary (1991) illustrated, p. 190; BIB# 65504
History of Glass Crafts (1990-07) p. 44;
L'Histoire du Verre: A Travers Les Tresors du Musee de Corning (1990) illustrated, p. 54; p. 56;
Masterpieces of Glass: A World History From The Corning Museum of Glass (1990) illustrated, pp. 20-21, pl. 2; BIB# 33819
A Short History of Glass (1990 edition) (1990) illustrated, pp. 16-17, #2; BIB# 33211
The Revell Bible dictionary (1990) illustrated, p. 331 #10; BIB# 65501
Glass and Ophthalmic Optics (1988) illustrated, p. 4; BIB# 65467
Stained Glass: Jewels of Light (1988) illustrated, p. 14; BIB# 59584
Glass and Ophthalmic Optics (1985) illustrated, p. 4; BIB# 36218
Title Unknown (SPAN) (1981-05) illustrated, inside cover;
After the Flood (1980-07) illustrated, pp. 20-23; BIB# AI9237
Recent Important Acquisitions, 22 (1980) illustrated, cover, frontispiece; BIB# AI98082
A Short History of Glass (1980 edition) (1980) illustrated, pp. 12-13, #2; BIB# 21161
Le Nouveau Musee du verre a Corning (1980) illustrated, pp. 52-59, #2;
The Corning Museum of Glass Annual Report 1979 (1980) illustrated, p. 2-3; BIB# AI97143
A Unique Royal Head (1979) illustrated, pp. 8-16, figs. 1-4; BIB# AI61739
Pre-Roman and Early Roman Glass in The Corning Museum of Glass (1979) illustrated, dust jacket, frontispiece; BIB# 29547