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Inscribed Flask in the Shape of a Male Head

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Inscribed Flask in the Shape of a Male Head

Place of OriginProbably Syro-Palestine, possibly Cyprus
DateLate 2nd to early 3rd century CE
DimensionsH: 8 1/16 in. (20.5 cm); Rim Diam: 1 1/8 in. (2.9 cm); Diam: 3 in. (7.6 cm)
MediumMedium thin glass. Blown in a two-part mold.
ClassificationGlass
Credit LineGift of Edward Drummond Libbey
Object number
1923.414
Not on View
DescriptionFlask formed from medium-thin transparent glass with a moderate greenish yellow tint. The neck and projecting roll are free-blown, while the shoulder collar and body were mold-blown in a two-part mold with vertical sections, each including one half of the base (MCT VIII). A continuous mold seam runs through the hair and across the underside of the base. The relief is crisp, and the vessel retains a pontil mark measuring approximately 1.3 cm. The flask has a rounded rim thickened in the flame, a tall tubular neck that tapers downward with a constriction near its base, and a hollow projecting roll above the shoulder collar. The body, in the shape of a youthful, beardless male head, features a narrow oval face, wide almond-shaped eyes with recessed pupils, a high forehead, proportioned nose, and parted lips. An ivy wreath, with clusters of berries at the forehead and ears and heart-shaped leaves at the temples, encircles the head. Hair is parted at the center of the forehead, with thick locks swept back into a roll at the sides and sinuous strands on the back of the head. The oval, slightly concave base supports the vessel. Below the chin is a Greek inscription: ΥΠΕΡΕΧΕΙ (hyperekhei), meaning "he/she/it surpasses, excels." A second inscription, located just below the projecting roll on the back of the vessel, is now illegible. The projecting roll marks the boundary between the mold-blown body and the free-blown neck and may have formed through an overblow process. This structural feature—particularly the tall neck—first appears on flasks from second-century tombs such as one at Constanta (ancient Tomis) in Romania and becomes more common in the Syro-Palestinian area in the third century. Comparable head flasks with similar features and inscriptions are mentioned in earlier literature. One found at Idalion, Cyprus, differs in lacking a tall neck. Other references, including one from 1906 and a watercolor in the Kiev Museum, may refer to this Toledo flask or a nearly identical example in a New York private collection. A related vessel from Potamia near Idalion features a male head and a different inscription. Rim rounded and thickened in flame. Tall tubular neck tapering downward, with constriction near its base. Hollow projecting roll above shoulder collar. Body in the shape of a head. Oval slightly concave base. Body in the shape of a beardless youthful head wearing an ivy wreath. The face is narrow and oval with a high forehead; it has wide open, almond-shaped eyes with recessed pupils, a narrow well-proportioned nose, and short fleshy lips slightly parted. The face is widest at the jaw. Around the face is an ivy wreath with clusters of berries at forehead and ears and with a heart-shaped leaf at each temple. The hair is parted in the middle and the locks of hair framing the face are thick and swept back into a roll. The hair on the back of the head is flat with sinuous vertical strands. Below the chin is an inscription in Greek: (hyperekhei), "he/she/it surpasses, excels;" a second, now illegible, inscription can be made out just below the projecting roll on the back of the vessel. Transparent natural moderate greenish yellow tint. Neck and projecting roll free blown. Body and shoulder collar blown into a two-part mold of two vertical sections, each including one-half of the base (MCT VIII). One continuous mold seam, through hair, extends across underside of base. Relief crisp. Pontil mark ca. 1.3 cm. Rim rounded and thickened in flame. Tall tubular neck tapering downward, with constriction near its base. Hollow projecting roll above shoulder collar. Body in the shape of a head. Oval slightly concave base. Body in the shape of a beardless youthful head wearing an ivy wreath. The face is narrow and oval with a high forehead; it has wide open, almond-shaped eyes with recessed pupils, a narrow well-proportioned nose, and short fleshy lips slightly parted. The face is widest at the jaw. Around the face is an ivy wreath with clusters of berries at forehead and ears and a heart-shaped leaf at each temple. The hair is parted in the middle above the center of the forehead, and the locks of hair framing the face are thick and swept back into a roll. The hair on the back of the head is flat with sinuous vertical strands. Below the chin is an inscription in Greek: UPEREXEI (hyperekhei), "he/she/it surpasses, excels;" a second, now illegible, inscription can be made out just below the projecting roll on the back of the vessel.
Published ReferencesG. M. A. Richter, "The Curtis Collection of Ancient Glass," Art in America 2, 1914, 83, fig. 11.

Donald B. Harden, "Romano-Syrian Glasses with Mould-blown Inscriptions," Journal of Roman Studies 25, 1935, 183, pl. XXIII.

Dominick Labino, Visual Art in Glass, Dubuque, Iowa, 1968, 21, fig. 9, 22.

David F. Grose, "Ancient Glass," TMA Museum News, 1978, 78, 82, fig. 19.

Stern, E. Marianne, Roman Mold-blown Glass: the First through Sixth Centuries, "L'Erma" di Bretschneider in Association with the Toledo Museum of Art, Rome, Italy, 1995, cat. no. 147, p. 228, color plate 24, p. 61.

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