{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O3667"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O3667/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AN6392/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AN6392/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AN6392","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JX2949","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O3667/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O3667","accessionNumber":"C.24-1932","objectType":"Cup","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Lustre pigments were used on glass vessels before they were used on ceramics. Glassmakers in Egypt were using them in the period 700-800, when this piece was made. Here they have been applied as a brown and yellow vine-scroll design on both the inside and outside of the clear glass. This two-colour combination is also found on the earliest lustre-decorated ceramics.\r\n\r\nThe technique of lustre decoration on ceramics was first developed in Iraq in the 9th century. The basic technique for both glass and ceramics was the same. A vessel (glazed if ceramic) was made in the normal way. When the piece had cooled, the design was painted on in metallic compounds. The piece was then fired again, this time with a restricted supply of oxygen. In these conditions, the metallic compounds broke down, and a thin deposit of copper or silver was left on the surface of the glaze. When polished, this surface layer reflected the light.","physicalDescription":"Cup of bluish glass with reddish-brownish lustre painted decoration of vine scroll departing from vase covering body of vessel. Very finely blown. Broken and repaired with parts missing. Slight kick, pontil mark. Oxidization to some decoration.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"glass","id":"AAT10797"},{"text":"lustre","id":"x29389"}],"techniques":[{"text":"blowing","id":"AAT53932"},{"text":"firing","id":"AAT53887"},{"text":"painting","id":"x30598"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Glass, with lustre-painted decoration","categories":[{"text":"ELISE","id":"THES48961"},{"text":"Glass","id":"THES48946"},{"text":"Drinking","id":"THES48965"}],"styles":[{"text":"Islamic","id":"x29301"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"MES","id":"THES48607"},"images":["2006AN6392","2017JX2949"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"42 (VA)","id":"THES49806"},"free":"","case":"2W","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"cup","id":"AAT43202"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Syria","id":"x29200"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"probably"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"8th century","earliest":"0700-01-01","latest":"0799-01-01"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"6.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"7.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"maximum","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bought from Spink and Son Ltd. with C.23-1932 and C.23-29 for £420.","historicalContext":"The earliest technique of glass painting in the Islamic world involves the application of a monochrome brownish or yellowish metallic pigment, usually on pale-aquamarine coloured bowls, although other types of objects such as drinking horns and dishes are not uncommon. These 8th or 9th century creations generally feature sketchy figurative or vegetal patterns, and sometimes inscriptions in cursive or kufic calligraphy. By applying pigments to both sides of open-shaped vessels, glassmakers highlighted details or outlines and exploited the transparent glass wall in order to create shading effects. This type of glass decoration was probably developed by Coptic craftsmen who settled in Egypt but it is likely such glass was also made in Syria.","briefDescription":"Glass cup with lustre-painted decoration of a vine scroll, Syria, 700-800.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Heaton (?), Noel, \"The Origins and Use of Silver Stains\", Journal of the British Society of Master Glass Painters, 1948, fig. 3, p. 11"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Glass, Reino Liefkes (ed.), 1997, pl. 30"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Lamm, C.J., An Oriental group of medieval date found in Sweden and the early history of lustre painting, Stockholm, 1941, pl. IX, p. 25"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Ashton, A.L.B, \"Three new glass vessels painted in lustre\", Burlington Magazine, LX (1932), 293-4, Plate A"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"vine scrolls","id":"AAT10105"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Jameel Gallery \r\n\r\nLustre Glass Cup\r\nSyria \r\n700–800 \r\n\r\nThe cup is decorated with a vine scroll that rises from a vase. The pattern was made by staining the glass with brown and yellow lustre pigments. About 850, this technique was transferred to the whiteware produced in Iraq, creating the first lustre ceramics. \r\n\r\nGlass stained with lustre pigments\r\nMuseum nos. C.24-1932\r\n","date":{"text":"2006","earliest":"2006-01-01","latest":"2006-12-31"}},{"text":"Lustre painting is applied after the vessel is finished, and the lustre is fixed by firing in a small reducing kiln. The technique deposits a thin layer of metallic copper and silver, which gives mother-of-pearl reflections or a variety of brilliant greens and golds.","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}}],"partNumbers":["C.24-1932"],"accessionNumberNum":"24","accessionNumberPrefix":"C","accessionYear":1932,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Glass gallery number","id":"THES50491"},"number":"8259"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LP3475","2019LT3312","2019LV3120"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-22","recordCreationDate":"1997-12-13","availableToBook":false}}