Aldrevandin Beaker
- Gallery: Room 40
- Culture: Late Medieval
- Made in: Venice (city)
- Date: 1330 (circa)
- Object type: beaker
- Materials: glass; enamel
- Museum number: 1876,1104.3
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
This is the Aldrevandin Beaker, also known as the Aldrevandini Glass. In front of you is a beautifully crafted Venetian glass beaker from around 1330. It’s decorated with three small shields and highly colored flowers in red, green, yellow, blue, and white.
What makes this piece remarkable is the Latin inscription at the top: “+ MAGISTER. ALDREVANDIN. ME. FECI(T),” meaning “Master Aldrevandin made me.” This rare signature gives a direct link to the skilled artisan responsible for the work.
The beaker was once owned by the collector Lorenz Gedon before entering a museum collection. Research later revealed evidence that Venetian artisans were creating these glass beakers in large numbers during the Late Medieval period. The craftsmanship and vibrant design reflect the artistic trends of the time.
The glass and enamel materials show the advanced techniques used in Venetian glassmaking. Take a moment to appreciate not only the colors and details, but also the maker’s proud inscription.
See it in person
Aldrevandin Beaker is on display in Room 40 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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