A Thousand Melted Flowers
- Millefiori glass jar
- Manufactured in Venice, Italy
- Acquired in Fayum, Egypt
- Early 20th century
- Gift of David Askren, KM 5298
Millefiori (Italian for "thousand flowers") glass vessels are created from multicolor flower-patterned fused glass rods. The heated rods are sliced into thin disks that are arranged side by side to form elaborate patterns and fused into thick slabs. The slab is then folded to form a cylinder and shaped by blowing. While cooling, this elaborate millefiori jar split apart at a weak spot where the edges of the slab had been attached together. This vessel was made in Venice, acquired in Egypt, and donated to the Kelsey Museum in Ann Arbor—a very long way for an imperfect vessel to travel!