Glass

A glass of colourless glass is decorated with transparent enamel paints and embellished with gilding. The inscription on the surface over the base reads: Place de la Bibliotheque Imp. et Roy. et la Statue Josep II à Vienne. The painted decoration with a scene of the imperial and royal library in Vienna was done by Anton Kothgasser (1769 – 1851), Viennese painter and miniaturist known for decorating objects of porcelain and glass who perfected the technique of painting with transparent enamel paints. He often used a specific form of conical glass with an emphasised annular cogged cut bottom, the so-called Ranftbecher. Kothgasser painted his glasses with allegorical motifs, genre scenes, portraits, scenes or playing cards. He signed the pieces with his initials, not uncommonly with his address as well.