Ennion: Master of Roman Glass

by Christopher Lightfoot, Karol Wight, Lisa Pilosi (Contributor)

Among glass craftsmen active in the first century A.D., the most famous and gifted was Ennion, who came from the coastal city of Sidon in modern Lebanon. Ennion’s glass stood out for its quality and popularity, and his products are distinguished by the fine detail and precision of their relief decoration, which imitates designs found on contemporary silverware.

This publication examines the most innovative and elegant known examples of Roman mold-blown glass, providing a uniquely comprehensive, up-to-date study of these exceptional works. Included are some twenty-six remarkably preserved examples of drinking cups, bowls, and jugs signed by Ennion himself, as well as fifteen additional vessels that were clearly influenced by him. The informative texts and illustrations effectively convey the lasting aesthetic appeal of Ennion’s vessels, and offer an accessible introduction to an ancient art form that reached its apogee in the early decades of the Roman Empire.  

Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Distributed by Yale University Press

Exhibition The Metropolitan Museum of Art
(12/09/14–04/13/15) The Corning Museum of Glass
(05/15/15–10/19/15)

160 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 2015

Reviews

[Jeff Crompton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I explained why I bought this book in my reply to Paul's comment below. It's a very detailed look at a master glass artisan from the first century. The first half of the book covers Ennion, his world, his work, his rivals, and the fifty or so of his creations that have survived into the 21st century. I found most of this text interesting, although I skimmed some of the detailed descriptions of the pieces.

The second half of the book is the catalog of the Metropolitan Museum's early-2015 exhibit of Ennion glass. The pieces, even the damaged ones, are beautiful, and beautifully photographed. This is the real reason to have this book.

I find it interesting that Ennion marked most of his products prominently with his name. I suspect that this increased their value to consumers at the time; many people today proudly display the Chanel or Nike logos on their handbags or shoes, and pay more for that privilege. In any case, Ennion's cups, jugs, and bowls were apparently highly prized throughout the Roman Empire, they have been found in an area ranging from modern-day France to Syria.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exhibition catalog: fascinating account with many color pictures of molded-glass tableware of the master Roman glassmaker of the 1st century A.D., Ennion, and examples of his work and that of several of his rivals. Each item in this exhibit is photographed in close-up. There are several educational essays on Ennion himself, archaeology, description, and provenance, the process of molded-glassmaking, what has been found in Dalmatia, the "Jerusalem jug"--one of his most famous works. We can recognize his works from his hallmark, a tabula ansata with what translates as "Ennion made me/it" in Greek, prominently displayed. To visualize a modern example: the Statue of Liberty is holding one in her left hand--the one not holding the torch. No, Ennion did not make her; she was a bit after his time and not glass. :)

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Available for free on the Metropolitan Museum of Art's website, Ennion: Master of Roman Glass was published in conjunction with a 2015 exhibition held there. In addition to the expected photographs of the glassware itself, the book is a cross-section of the entire archaeological process that goes into retrieving, identifying, and comparing even the smallest fragments of it.