Tazza
Unknown Artist
early 17th century
Medium
Glass
Dimensions
Overall: 2 3/4 × 10 1/2 in. (7 × 26.7 cm)
Classification
Glass
Culture
Italian, Venice (Murano)
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Edward Holbrook Collection, Gift of Mrs. Edward Holbrook and John S. Holbrook, 1921
Accession Number
21.110.173
Art Historical Context
Behold the delicate *Tazza*, a masterful example of early 17th glasswork from Murano, Venice—the unrivaled epicenter of European glass production. This shallow, saucer-shaped vessel, standing just 2¾ × 10½ inches, exemplifies the Venetians' virtuosity in crafting luxurious tableware. Perched on a slender stem and foot, it was designed not only for practical use, like serving sweets or wine, but as a sparkling centerpiece evoking opulence in Renaissance and Baroque households. Murano's glassmakers, sequestered on their island since the 13th century to safeguard trade secrets, perfected techniq...