The Disch Cantharus

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Object Name: 
Cantharus
Title: 
The Disch Cantharus
Place Made: 
Germany, probably Cologne
Accession Number: 
66.1.267
Dimensions: 
Overall H: 13.8 cm, W: 15.5 cm, Diam (max): 11 cm
Location: 
On Display
Date: 
200-325
Web Description: 
This object was found in Cologne, Germany, in 1864. Its first known owner was the collector Charles Damien Disch. A cantharus is a drinking vessel with high handles, and it was used to consume wine. This example was elaborately decorated with gilding on the outside of the cup, over which a network of hot glass trails was placed in a zigzag pattern.

More Info

Department: 
Ancient
Provenance: 
Sangiorgi, Sergio (Italian), Source
1966
Disch, Charles Damien (German, 1821-1880), Former Collection
Basilewski, Former Collection
Sangiorgi, Giorgio (Italian, 1886-1965), Former Collection
Hoffmann, H. (French, 1823-1897), Former Collection
1881-05
Category: 
Roman
Color: 
green
colorless
Technique: 
glassblowing
applied decoration
gilding
Material: 
glass
gold

Description

Primary Description: 
Cantharus. Transparent greenish-colorless glass with many small bubbles, gold; blown, gilded decoration, scratched, applied cage and handles, tooled. Two-handled cup on stem with hollow conical foot; conical cup, curving inward at bottom; short, solid stem with flat, discoid knop; hollow conical foot with single concentric trail on upper surface and ground edge; no pontil mark; cup surrounded by six horizontal zigzag trails, which together make hollow spheroid lattice, attached to narrow trail wound one and one-quarter times around wall near top, and thicker trail wound twice around wall near bottom; attached to first and sixth zigzag trails, two opposed handles, each consisting of horizontal U-shaped trail supporting pressed cockleshell, looped vertical trail, pressed cockleshell, horizontal M-shaped trail, and thumb-support; on outside of cup, protected by cage, frieze of three chubby winged cupids, one seated on hillock, others walking towards him with arms outstretched; between them; flowers on leafy stalks, with additional flowers in field, all gilt with scratched details.

Exhibitions (3)

Masterpieces of Glass from The Corning Museum of Glass
Venue(s)
National Gallery of Art 1990-12-02 through 1991-04-14
The Art of Glass: Masterpieces from The Corning Museum of Glass
Venue(s)
IBM Gallery 1989-12-12 through 1990-02-02
National Gallery of Art 1990-12-09 through 1991-04-14
Decorative and utilitarian works from the Corning Museum of Glass, surveying 35 centuries of glass-making technology and stylistic developments from ancient Egyptian, Roman, Islamic, and Asian cultures to contemporary American and European examples. The works were selected by Corning Museum staff members Dwight P. Lanmon, director and curator of European glass; David B. Whitehouse, curator of ancient and Islamic glass; Jane Shadel Spillman, curator of American glass; and Susanne K. Frantz, curator of 20th-century glass.
 
Glass of the Caesars
Venue(s)
British Museum 1987-11-18 through 1988-03-06
Romisch-Germanisches Museum 1988-04-15 through 1988-10-18
Musei Capitolini 1988-11-03 through 1989-01-31
Corning Museum of Glass

Publications (36)

Ancient and Islamic Glass: Selections from the Corning Museum of Glass (2019) illustrated, pp. 75-76;
A Catalogue of the Late Antique Gold Glass in the British Museum (2015) illustrated, p. 23;
Cage Cups: Late Roman Luxury Glasses (2015) illustrated, pp. 14, 57, 190; BIB# 146773
Die römischen Gläser aus Augst und Kaiseraugst : kommentierter Formenkatalog und ausgewählte Neufunde 1981-2010 aus Augusta Raurica (2015) illustrated, p. 85, Abb. 93; BIB# 150178
The Fascination of Cage Cups (2014) illustrated, p. 9 (bottom); BIB# AI98963
Chemical Analyses of Early Glasses (Volume 3) (2012) pp. 383, 408, 682; BIB# 61154
Afghanistan: Forging Civilizations along the Silk Road (2012) illustrated, p. 61, fig. 14; BIB# 132698
Modern Glass Inspired By Ancient Rome (2008-02-22) illustrated, p. 1;
Corning Glass Museum Plans Exhibition Exploring Roman Glass' Modern Impact (2008-02-01) illustrated
Looking at Glass: A Guide to Terms, Styles, and Techniques (2005) illustrated, p. 85; BIB# 79754
Looking at Glass: A Guide to Terms, Styles and Techniques (2005) illustrated, p. 85; BIB# 99164
Antikes Glas (Handbuch der Archaologie) (2004) illustrated, p. 343, 460, 619, 652 (Taf. 363); BIB# 83444
Plastik sanatlarda cam malzemenin uygulanisi (2003) illustrated, p. 18, fig. 2.3, row 5, #2; BIB# 120381
Roman Glass in The Corning Museum of Glass, Volume Two (2001) pp. 275-277, pl. 867; BIB# 58895
Chemical Analyses of Early Glasses (Volume 1) (1999) pp. 80, 249; BIB# 61154
Chemical Analyses of Early Glasses (Volume 2) (1999) p. 148; BIB# 61154
Treasures from The Corning Museum of Glass: Checklist of the Exhibition (1999) illustrated, p. 32; BIB# 63967
Untersuchungen zu den Glasern un Gipsabgussen aus dem Fund von Begram/Afghanistan (1998) illustrated, pl. 23, no. 3; pp. 72-73; BIB# 57685
Enciclopedia Dell'Arte Antica, classica e orientale (1997) illustrated, p. 1025, fig. 1302, right;
Glass, Gold, and Gold-Glasses (1996) illustrated, p. 5, fig. 3; BIB# AI1414
Masterpieces of Glass: A World History From The Corning Museum of Glass (1990) illustrated, pp. 56-57, pl. 20; BIB# 33819
Glass Of The Roman Empire (1988) illustrated, pp. 56-57, fig. 24; pp. 8-9; BIB# 32608
Glass of the Caesars (1987) illustrated, pp. 253-254, #143; BIB# 31831
Roman Glass in The Corning Museum of Glass (postcards) (1987) illustrated, #24; BIB# 34348
Book of Glass (1986) p. 63;
The Magic of Glass and the Surface of Monaco from Midtec (1983) illustrated, p. 4 (right); BIB# 22508
Masterpieces of Glass: A World History from The Corning Museum of Glass (1980) pp. 56-57, pl. 20; BIB# 20953
Recent Important Acquisitions, 17 (1975) illustrated, cover, frontispiece; BIB# AI91035
Romische Glaser mit Fadenauflage in Koln (Schlangenfadenglaser und Verwandtes) (1959) p. 65, pls. 84-85; BIB# 29379
Zum Kantharos Disch-Sangiorgi (1931) cols. 116ff; BIB# AI46531
The excavations at Dura-Europos, conducted by Yale University and the French Academy of inscriptions and letters: preliminary report of seasons of work (1929-) pp. 253-254; BIB# 19567
Il Kantharos Disch (1926) p. 74, pls. 3-4;
Title Unknown (Bonner Jahrbucher 71) (1881) pl. 6, #1356;
Catalogue de la collection de feu monsieur Charles Damian Disch à Cologne (1881) no. 1356; BIB# 9938
Kunsthaus Lempertz illustrated, p, 179;
Zerbrechlicher Luxus: Köln, ein Zentrum antiker Glaskunst illustrated, p. 115; BIB# 150242