Enameled Objects

Renaissance

Objects show one or more “symptoms” of an “on the pontil” firing process (illustrated below).

Tazza. Wide, shallow circular bowl with wide, slightly rolled over and downturned rim with infolded edge — FIG. 69a

Footed platter with gently twisted mezza-stampatura , enameling, and gold-leaf decoration. Venice, late 15th to early 16th centuries. D. 26.3 cm. The Corning Museum of Glass (51.3.117).

Tazza detail — FIG. 69b

Bottom of platter, showing gold-leaf and dot pattern in center, which sharply contrasts with decoration near rim; double pontil mark is also visible. The Corning Museum of Glass (51.3.117).

Nuptial Goblet. Translucent dark green — FIG. 70a

Nuptial goblet with polychrome enameled and gold-leaf decoration. The slight elongation of the enamel dots and the subtle, radially oriented breaking up of the gold-leaf decoration near the rim indicate that the diameter of the upper part of the object was slightly expanded when it was fired. Venice, late 15th century. H. 19.9 cm. The Corning Museum of Glass (79.3.170, bequest of Jerome Strauss).

Nuptial Goblet. Translucent dark green - detail — FIG. 70b

Detail of goblet, showing double pontil mark on bottom (apex of foot). The second (or firing) pontil mark covers the lower three-quarters of the first mark, which was produced when the blank was made. The Corning Museum of Glass (79.3.170, bequest of Jerome Strauss).

Plate. Colorless. Blown; gilded, enameled — FIG. 71

Detail showing upper, undecorated surface of enameled plate with gold-leaf decoration. The surface irregularities correspond to the presence or absence of enameled dots on the other side, indicating significant and prolonged softening of the vessel wall during the firing process (the rim area is similar to that of the footed platter shown in Figure 68a). Venice, late 15th to early 16th centuries. D. 24.1 cm. The Corning Museum of Glass (54.3.244).

detail of footed beaker with human, animal, and plant-shaped decoration — FIG. 72

Conical footed beaker with polychrome enameled and gold-leaf decoration, viewed at the level of the rim. The areas with the greatest concentrations of enamel have produced localized thickening of the vessel wall that, in turn, resulted in the downward movement of the rim above them. Venice, late 15th to early 16th centuries. H. 13.3 cm. The Corning Museum of Glass (79.3.191, bequest of Jerome Strauss).

handled ewer — FIG. 73

Ewer with polychrome enameled and gold-leaf decoration. The handle at both the lower and upper attachment points sits atop the still clearly visible decoration. During the formation of the spout, the addition of molten glass re-softened the wall and its decoration was drawn out, striating the enamel dots. Venice, late 15th or early 16th century. H. 27.2 cm. The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles (84.DK.512). Photo: © J. Paul Getty Trust.

19th Century

Objects seldom show “symptoms” of an “on the pontil” firing process (there are rare exceptions)

group of Venetian style objects — FIG. 74

Group of replicas (some of which may have been intended as forgeries) and objects imitating historical styles, decorated with polychrome enamels, gold leaf, and gold paint. None of these objects exhibits any evidence that the decoration was fired in a furnace while the piece was reattached to a pontil. A distinctly different process, and one that was only recently possible, was employed here. The decoration was fired while these objects sat in a kiln. H. (tallest) 41.1 cm. The Corning Museum of Glass (79.3.850, bequest of Jerome Strauss; 78.3.16, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Appleton; 66.3.13, gift in part of Edwin J. Beinecke; 96.3.13; and 79.3.339, gift of The Ruth Bryan Strauss Memorial Foundation).