In honor of The Met’s stewardship of so many handcrafted treasures from around the world, our glass ornaments are hand-painted using a centuries-old technique originating in China toward the end of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644).
Each artisan who produces our ornaments trains for at least a year, and spends between eight and 10 years honing the technique before they’re considered an accomplished painter. Only about six ornaments are produced each day by way of this careful four-step process. First, a design is mapped out on the inside of the glass orb using a fine brush. Next, it's colored in—dark pigments are painted first, followed by highlights to lend depth and dimension to the motif. Finally, a thicker brush is used to apply the background color, before the cap and ribbon are placed on the top of the ornament and the process is complete.
This season, we’re delighted to present a fresh fleet of hand-painted glass ornaments crafted according to this historic technique. Below, sneak a peak at the creation of the new Tait Sleigh Ride Through the Forest Hand-Painted Glass Ornament, and shop this season's latest introductions.
Tait Sleigh Ride Through the Forest Hand-Painted Glass Ornament
The heartwarming holiday scene hand-painted on this ornament portrays two figures delighting in a sleigh ride through a snowy forest. The original image was painted by Carl Tait (American, 1917–2011) in 1958.
Dehn Avian Holiday Hand-Painted Glass Ornament
A hand-painted detail from Adolf Dehn's (American, 1895–1968) charming watercolor Avian Holiday decorates this festive glass ornament. The original image depicts colorful birds perched on a tree, enjoying a Christmas celebration. Known for his humorous satires and social commentaries on modern life, Dehn, whose work is in The Met collection, concentrated as a young artist on printmaking before focusing on watercolors in 1937.
Unicorn in a Garden Hand-Painted Glass Ornament
The familiar image on this ornament references The Unicorn Rests in a Garden (1495–1505), an iconic French and South Netherlandish textile in the Museum's holdings. The medieval masterwork—a fan favorite at The Met Cloisters—depicts a unicorn resting in a garden enclosure beneath a pomegranate tree, enveloped by a millefleurs backdrop of richly symbolic plants. Though it may have been created as a single image, it's considered one of the seven so-called Unicorn Tapestries, which rank among the most visually striking and complex extant artworks from the late Middle Ages.
Dehn Spring in Central Park Hand-Painted Glass Ornament
Let the dreamy scene on our ornament whisk you away to a leisurely spring day in New York City. Adolf Dehn's Spring in Central Park (1941) depicts a verdant Sheep Meadow with midtown Manhattan landmarks—including the Hampshire House, Essex House, and the Empire State Building—rising in the distance. This bucolic watercolor, housed in The Met's Modern and Contemporary Art collection, is one of several seasonal vistas Dehn painted of Central Park and the New York skyline.
Tait-Henson Bower of Beauty Hand-Painted Glass Ornament
Bursting with colorful flora and lily-white doves, the festive tree on this golden glass ornament comes from Bower of Beauty (1966), a delightful painting by the celebrated artist duo Carl Tait and Lloyd Henson.
