Ancient glass beguiled artists and connoisseurs with its rich colors and irregularities--signs of hand workmanship that distinguished these vessels from factory-made glass. For John Gellatly, such imperfections likely added to their value; these were favorites within his vast collection, objects that he allegedly "sat fingering late into the night," according to a reporter at the time of their donation to the Smithsonian Institution.
Sargent, Whistler, and Venetian Glass: American Artists and the Magic of Murano, 2021.
Credit Line:
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of John Gellatly