Inlay Figure of a King in Four Pieces
305–30 B.C.E.
1 of 9
Object Label
Glass inlays like this were used to decorate shrines or cartonnages. When forming part of the decoration of a cartonnage, they were pressed directly into the outer coat of plaster while it was still wet. This inlay probably formed part of the decorative pattern of a box, a piece of furniture, or an item of funerary equipment. The bright colors not only enhanced the appearance of the object but had symbolic significance as well.
Caption
Inlay Figure of a King in Four Pieces, 305–30 B.C.E.. Glass, gold leaf, 5 9/16 x 2 3/8 x 5/16 in. (14.1 x 6 x 0.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 49.61.1-.4. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)
Frequent Art Questions
What were these used for?
These are inlays, they would have been set into surfaces (like on a wall or on a coffin) as decoration.The falcon head, though, is actually from a piece of jewelry! You can tell because it is rimmed in gold unlike the others.It's a terminal for a broad collar (there is a big blue broad collar on view at the other end of the gallery). Attached at the bottom, would have been the beads, and above its head would have been the clasp or closure for the necklace.Thanks!
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