Decanter c. 18th century

Editor: So here we have an 18th-century glass decanter from an anonymous artist, twinkling here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. I’m struck by how ornate yet subtle it is—all those delicate etched diamond shapes… What captures your attention when you look at this piece? Curator: Oh, the whispers of history it holds, dear friend! It feels like gazing into a snow globe from a bygone era. Can you imagine the hands that carefully shaped the molten glass, or the candlelight reflecting off its surface in a grand dining room? And those delicate diamonds aren't merely decoration. For me, they hint at the elaborate social rituals and the almost performative aspect of dining that was coming into vogue during the Rococo period. Do you catch any of that playful drama in its form? Editor: I see what you mean, yes, I am picking that up from your perspective! It’s like a stage prop waiting for a play about powdered wigs and secrets. But, if I’m being honest, I also think about how something so fragile has survived so long. Curator: Exactly! Doesn't that durability, the audacity of survival, lend it a touch of melancholy too? Knowing that countless similar vessels must have shattered over time gives this one, survivor a poignant beauty. What was once an everyday item has now become a silent witness to the passage of time. Editor: I guess I never thought about it having that aura because so many others have probably not survived. Curator: Yes! To me it speaks to not only our relationship with artistry but also to history and the ravages of time itself. Next time I have to decant some wine with that perspective in mind, thanks to you.