Vase c. 1845 - 1860

Editor: This is a glass vase from the Compagnie de Saint Louis, created sometime between 1845 and 1860. The inside has these amazing swirling white lines, and then a vivid pink twisted rope pattern around the rim. The swirl feels almost dizzying. How do you interpret this work? Curator: The intense spirals speak to me of the Victorian era’s fascination with hypnotism and spiritualism, where unseen forces were believed to powerfully influence everyday life. The precision of the glasswork juxtaposed with the vortex pattern also represents a time of great scientific advancement amid enduring social inequalities. Editor: That's interesting. I was just thinking of it as pretty! What inequalities are you referring to? Curator: Well, France in the mid-19th century, like much of Europe, was undergoing rapid industrialization. This created wealth for some, certainly the patrons of decorative arts like this vase, but it also widened the gap between the wealthy and the working class. The vibrant color, a luxury to produce at the time, symbolizes this economic divide, doesn't it? Editor: It does put it into perspective. Knowing the process involved makes me see it differently. It becomes more than just pretty glass. Curator: Precisely! By questioning the aesthetics of display, we start unraveling the historical and sociopolitical elements that shaped the very creation and reception of the artwork. Doesn’t that shift your perspective on its value? Editor: It makes me realize how much art objects are tied to social history. Thanks, I hadn't thought of it that way. Curator: And for me, your initial, seemingly simple observation about the dizziness of the spiral now resonates as the disorienting effects of progress during the period. Art invites dialogue.