Stefano Carboni
Department of Islamic Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Qamar Adamjee
Department of Islamic Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
October 2002
The discovery, in the first century B.C., that molten glass could be inflated to create objects was soon followed by the realization that vessels could be formed and decorated in a single operation in a mold. Since their introduction by the Romans in the early first century A.D., molds have been used continuously and remain one of the most common tools of the glassmaker. The technique spread from the eastern Mediterranean region, where it originated, to all Islamic glassmaking areas, becoming particularly popular in Iran.
Two types of molds were typically used in Islamic production. Most medieval examples were created in so-called full-size molds, though no examples of these survive. Molten glass at the end of a blowpipe was inserted into a two-part hinged mold in the shape of the vessel and then inflated. The pattern, carved on the interior walls of the mold, was impressed in relief on the glass upon inflation; the mold was opened to release the object, which was then finished with a rim, foot, or handle as necessary. Such a mold was called full-size, as no changes were made to the size or shape of the glass object after it was removed from the mold. Popular patterns include vertical ribbing or fluting, honeycomb and chevron designs, a variety of geometric and vegetal motifs, and sometimes inscriptions.
The dip-mold was also popular. Molten glass was inflated in a cylindrical mold in order to impress the pattern; the glass parison, or bubble, was then removed and further inflated outside the mold and tooled in a variety of forms to create the desired object. The subsequent inflation would make the pattern appear in a lower, less distinct relief than a pattern created using a full-size mold.
By its very nature, molded glass was duplicable to a certain extent, though the shaping and finishing details could produce a unique object. A mold had to be conceived, designed, and cast before a glass vessel was created. Most molds were probably made of bronze, though less durable materials may have been used. Thus, a metalworker was also involved in the process, making the chain of production more complex.
Citation
Carboni, Stefano, and Qamar Adamjee. “Glass with Mold-Blown Decoration from Islamic Lands.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/mold/hd_mold.htm (October 2002)
Further Reading
Carboni, Stefano. "Glass with Mold-Blown Patterns." In Glass from Islamic Lands: The al-Sabah Collection, pp. 197–259. New York: Thames & Hudson, 2001
Carboni, Stefano, and David Whitehouse. Glass of the Sultans. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2002. See on MetPublications
Folsach, Kjeld von, and David Whitehouse. "Three Islamic Molds." Journal of Glass Studies 35 (1993), pp. 48–56.
Additional Essays by Stefano Carboni
- Carboni, Stefano. “Venice and the Islamic World: Commercial Exchange, Diplomacy, and Religious Difference.” (March 2007)
- Carboni, Stefano. “Islamic Art and Culture: The Venetian Perspective.” (March 2007)
- Carboni, Stefano. “Venice and the Islamic World, 828–1797.” (March 2007)
- Carboni, Stefano. “Venice’s Principal Muslim Trading Partners: The Mamluks, the Ottomans, and the Safavids.” (March 2007)
- Carboni, Stefano. “A New Visual Language Transmitted Across Asia.” (October 2003)
- Carboni, Stefano. “Courtly Art of the Ilkhanids.” (October 2003)
- Carboni, Stefano. “Folios from the Great Mongol Shahnama (Book of Kings).” (October 2003)
- Carboni, Stefano. “Folios from the Jami‘ al-tavarikh (Compendium of Chronicles).” (October 2003)
- Carboni, Stefano. “Takht-i Sulaiman and Tilework in the Ilkhanid Period.” (October 2003)
- Carboni, Stefano. “The Art of the Book in the Ilkhanid Period.” (October 2003)
- Carboni, Stefano. “Blown Glass from Islamic Lands.” (October 2002)
- Carboni, Stefano. “Cut and Engraved Glass from Islamic Lands.” (October 2002)
- Carboni, Stefano. “The Legacy of Genghis Khan.” (October 2003)
- Carboni, Stefano. “The Mongolian Tent in the Ilkhanid Period.” (October 2003)
- Carboni, Stefano. “The Religious Arts under the Ilkhanids.” (October 2003)
- Carboni, Stefano. “Enameled and Gilded Glass from Islamic Lands.” (October 2002)
- Carboni, Stefano. “Glass from Islamic Lands.” (October 2002)
- Carboni, Stefano. “Hot-worked Glass from Islamic Lands.” (October 2002)
- Carboni, Stefano. “Mosaic Glass from Islamic Lands.” (October 2002)
- Carboni, Stefano. “Stained (Luster-Painted) Glass from Islamic Lands.” (October 2002)
Additional Essays by Qamar Adamjee
- Adamjee, Qamar. “A New Visual Language Transmitted Across Asia.” (October 2003)
- Adamjee, Qamar. “Courtly Art of the Ilkhanids.” (October 2003)
- Adamjee, Qamar. “Folios from the Great Mongol Shahnama (Book of Kings).” (October 2003)
- Adamjee, Qamar. “Folios from the Jami‘ al-tavarikh (Compendium of Chronicles).” (October 2003)
- Adamjee, Qamar. “Takht-i Sulaiman and Tilework in the Ilkhanid Period.” (October 2003)
- Adamjee, Qamar. “The Art of the Book in the Ilkhanid Period.” (October 2003)
- Adamjee, Qamar. “Blown Glass from Islamic Lands.” (October 2002)
- Adamjee, Qamar. “Cut and Engraved Glass from Islamic Lands.” (October 2002)
- Adamjee, Qamar. “The Legacy of Genghis Khan.” (October 2003)
- Adamjee, Qamar. “The Mongolian Tent in the Ilkhanid Period.” (October 2003)
- Adamjee, Qamar. “Enameled and Gilded Glass from Islamic Lands.” (October 2002)
- Adamjee, Qamar. “Glass from Islamic Lands.” (October 2002)
- Adamjee, Qamar. “The Religious Arts under the Ilkhanids.” (October 2003)
- Adamjee, Qamar. “Hot-worked Glass from Islamic Lands.” (October 2002)
- Adamjee, Qamar. “Mosaic Glass from Islamic Lands.” (October 2002)
- Adamjee, Qamar. “Stained (Luster-Painted) Glass from Islamic Lands.” (October 2002)
Related Essays
- Calligraphy in Islamic Art
- Geometric Patterns in Islamic Art
- Glass from Islamic Lands
- Vegetal Patterns in Islamic Art
- Blown Glass from Islamic Lands
- Cut and Engraved Glass from Islamic Lands
- Enameled and Gilded Glass from Islamic Lands
- Glass Ornaments in Late Antiquity and Early Islam (ca. 500–1000)
- Hot-worked Glass from Islamic Lands
- Mosaic Glass from Islamic Lands
- Roman Mold-Blown Glass
- Stained (Luster-Painted) Glass from Islamic Lands
List of Rulers
Chronology
Keywords
- 10th Century A.D.
- 11th Century A.D.
- 12th Century A.D.
- 13th Century A.D.
- 14th Century A.D.
- 15th Century A.D.
- 16th Century A.D.
- 1st Century A.D.
- 1st Century B.C.
- 7th Century A.D.
- 8th Century A.D.
- 9th Century A.D.
- Ancient Roman Art
- Asia
- Bronze
- Calligraphy
- Eastern Mediterranean
- Floral Motif
- Geometry
- Glass
- Iran
- Iraq
- Islam
- Islamic Art
- Islamic Art in the Early Period
- Islamic Art in the Medieval Period
- Metal
- Nature
- Plant Motif
- Rome
- Seljuq Art
- Syria
- Vessel
- West Asia