Rearrangeable Domestic Roman Collection
Artist
Josiah McElheny
(American, b. 1966)
CultureAmerican
Date1994
MediumBlown glass, wood, and paper
DimensionsOverall: 31 1/4 x 20 1/2 x 10 3/4 in. (79.4 x 52.1 x 27.3 cm)
Inscribed"Josiah G. McElheny 1994" on the inside left front bottom of case
The work is accompanied by label text reading:;
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Rearrangeable Domestic Roman Glass Collection;
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Roman Empire "everyday" drinking vessels are the subject of this collection. Glass of this type is found at many Roman Empire sites. The large scale of production allowed for their common availability in Roman times. The glass has a carefree charm in its imperfections while still demonstrating the ancient craftsman's high level of technical proficiency.;
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Actual Originals;
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Roman glass found at datable sites, funerary or civil. The surfaces often appear opaque and iridescent due to aging and deterioration from centuries of contact with minerals in the earth. The uneven encrustation confirms these as originals.;
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Obvious Fakes;
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Roman glass has been a highly prized collectable for centuries, and forgeries have often been made for profit. The "antique" appearance of ancient pieces has been a selling point and forgers have tried to imitate it. An unblemished whiteness on the surface indicates the attempt to "age" the piece with chemicals. The wrong colors, wrong forms, or artificial aging can reveal items as forgeries, but some pass as originals for many years until carefully examined by experts. These examples are either too poor or too flashy to be real.;
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Usable Reproductions;
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Distinguished from fakes mostly by intention, these are works that are inspired by the originals and clearly presented as modern. Whether they are close copies or only loosely based on the originals, these pieces are made by honest craftsmen who appreciate the accomplishments of the great masters of the past. Reproductions are examples of our common desire to glorify, venerate, and romanticize the traditions of the past. These unencrusted, less "valuable" vessels can be used to drink from.;
Credit LineGift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr. by exchange.
Object number2008.12
Not on view
DescriptionRearrangeable Domestic Roman Collection consists of twelve glass objects presented in a wooden display case with hinged door, three glass shelves and glass top. There are four objects on each shelf. Each glass object is marked with an inventory number in small black lettering. Loose, handwritten paper labels are laid flat on the shelves and read as follows (top to bottom): Shelf 1: Actual Originals
Shelf 2: Obvious Fakes
Shelf 3: Usable Reproductions
Bottom of cabinet: large paper label with rough drawings of vessels
Label TextJosiah McElheny American, b. 1966 Rearrangeable Domestic Roman Collection, 1994 Blown glass, wood, and paper Blending fact and fiction, Josiah McElheny’s work plays with our expectation that museums offer authentic works of art. The artist filled this case with delicate glass objects and the kind of labels typically found in museum displays. Although the glass pieces look old, McElheny actually created them to look like ancient treasures from an archeological dig. He also wrote misleading labels that raise questions about what makes an artwork original. Gift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr. by exchange 2008.12 ProvenanceThe artist, 1994; Private collection, New York, gift of the artist, no date; Private collection, New York, via the previous estate, on consignment via the Andrea Rosen Gallery; The Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Virginia, Museum Purchase, 2008.; Published ReferencesTina Oldknow, Rachel Berwick, Mieke Groot and Dante Morioni, _New Glass Review 30_ (Corning: The Corning Museum of Glass, 2009), 111,116, 117, 123, 126. ISBN: 978-0-87290-173-5
