Glass perfume bottle
Unknown Artist
early–mid-1st century CE
Medium
Glass
Dimensions
H.: 3 1/16 in. (7.8 cm)
Classification
Glass
Culture & Period
Roman · Early Imperial
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891
Accession Number
91.1.1255
Art Historical Context
This delicate glass perfume bottle, dating to the early–mid-1st CE, hails from the Early Imperial Roman period—a time of expanding trade, urban sophistication, and everyday luxuries under emperors like Augustus and Tiberius Standing just 3 1/16 inches (7.8 cm) tall, it exemplifies the small-scale vessels Romans used to hold precious perfumes, scented oils, or cosmetics, reflecting their cultural emphasis on personal grooming and beauty rituals. Crafted from blown glass, a revolutionary technique perfected around this era, the bottle showcases the artistry of anonymous Roman glassworkers. Free...