Description:

Here the craftsman has sandwiched a layer of brown glass between two layers of opaque yellow glass. To do this the base layer of yellow glass was dipped into molten brown and then molten yellow glass. The landscape scene was engraved using a diamond, a technique known as diamond-point engraving.

It is possible that the brown layer of glass acted as a guide to the engraver who would stop engraving when brown glass showed, preventing the vessel being pierced. Art historians believe that European Jesuit missionaries introduced the technique of diamond point engraving to China. Many of the Jesuits who came to China as missionaries were also specialists in science and technology.

Glass, diamond point engraved
Height: 20.5 cm, diameter: 10.0 cm, neck diameter: 4.1 cm

Chinese Description:

玻璃瓶 中国，清朝，约 1775 这套料玻璃瓶乃由两层黄玻璃夹著棕色玻璃，三层相套而成。工匠先制作底层黄玻璃，浸以烧熔的棕色玻璃，再外加上表层黄玻璃。待玻璃冷却，工匠以钻石为雕刻工具琢磨出重重山水纹饰，这技法称为钻石研磨法。 玻璃，钻石研磨

Creator: Unknown

Date: About 1775, Qing dynasty

Copyright: Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives

Object ID:N4770