Roemer zonder noppen c. 1885 - 1895

This “Roemer zonder noppen” is a glass wine goblet, presumably made somewhere in the Netherlands. It is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Although unsigned, this simple vessel speaks volumes about the social life of its time. The Roemer glass was a common type of glass in the 17th century Netherlands and the Rhineland, and it was a crucial part of social drinking rituals, usually amongst the middle classes. The ridges that adorn the stem give a stronger grip, which suggests the purpose of the glass was for frequent, perhaps even convivial, use. The glass may be simple, but it is an indication of an increasingly prosperous society in which ordinary people had money to spend on leisure and social activities. As art historians, it is important that we consider how even the most modest objects can tell us a great deal about the past. We can analyze trade routes and social customs, using sources such as old inventories, bills and other historical documents. In doing so, we come to understand that art is always a product of its historical context.