Fenicio Goblet with Swans and Initial ​“S” Stem

Copied Fenicio Goblet with Swans and Initial "S" Stem, ca. 1870, blown and applied hot-worked glass, 12 5⁄8 × 5 1⁄8 in. (32.1 × 13.0 cm) diam., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of John Gellatly, 1929.8.469.6
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Artwork Details

Title
Fenicio Goblet with Swans and Initial ​“S” Stem
Manufacturer
Società Anonima per azioni Salviati e Compania
Date
ca. 1870
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
12 5⁄8 × 5 1⁄8 in. (32.1 × 13.0 cm) diam.
Credit Line
Gift of John Gellatly
Mediums Description
blown and applied hot-worked glass
Classifications
Subjects
  • Object — other — vase
Object Number
1929.8.469.6
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1929.8.469.6

Artwork Description

The glassmakers of Murano offered collectors a literal alphabet of forms, colors, and patterns. This goblet builds on historical fancy-stem designs with playful swans, delicate bows, and a candy-cane-striped letter "S." Its most eye-catching element is the patterned bowl, in which filigree stripes have been lightly hand-brushed to produce an irregular, feathery pattern, a technique named fenicio (Phoenician). The abundance of features ensured that such vessels were one-of-a-kind treasures.

Sargent, Whistler, and Venetian Glass: American Artists and the Magic of Murano, 2021.