The Only Known Grave of a Glassblower

1994

American, born 1966

The Only Known Grave of a Glassblower:
Roman Glass found in Julius Alexander's tomb

From the invention of glassblowing until the Renaissance in Italy, few glassblowers names are known. Only one marked grave has been found. The tomb of Roman glassblower Julius Alexander was near present day Lyons, France. The gravestone, along with the glass found in his tomb, tells us something of his life. We know that he was married, and died before his wife. She left the glass hairpin, which he had made for her, near his head in the tomb. The other pieces, examples of his best work, were placed in the grave by his family. We know that he practiced his art in France (Gaul), but was a citizen of Rome, possibly born in Africa (Egypt, or Carthage). Earlier historians attribute a bottle found in Rome to him. The gravestone is in the Musée des Beaux Arts in Lyons.

Much of the ancient glass found today is recovered from tombs that protected it from nearly inevitable breakage above ground. The ancients buried domestic objects to equip them for their next life and remind them of their last. Around the body in Julius Alexander's tomb was the only common domestic glass of the 3rd century, six bottles, four bowls, two cups, one hairpin. ...Josiah McElheny

Blown glass, labels

72 x 36 x 48 in. (182.88 x 91.44 x 121.92 cm)

Northwest Acquisition Fund

95.52

Not currently on view

Resources

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, "Documents Northwest: Holding The Past: Historicism in Northwest Glass Sculpture", July 1, 1995 - February 11, 1996

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