Paperweight c. 1846s

This glass paperweight was created by Baccarat Glassworks and is now held at the Art Institute of Chicago. Its spherical form immediately suggests unity and containment, while its intricate internal design offers a contrasting sense of complexity. The concentric arrangement of floral motifs, dominated by a palette of blues, whites, and reds, draws the eye inward to the weight's core. Each layer of floral patterns, with their careful symmetry, creates a sense of depth and almost architectural structure within the clear glass. This use of symmetry can be seen as a desire to impose order on the fluid nature of glass, challenging any fixed meanings. The weight’s design plays with perception, capturing light and distorting the surrounding world through its curves. This feature encourages the viewer to reconsider their relationship with the object and its environment. Glass as a medium has a unique function, not just aesthetically but as part of a larger cultural and philosophical discourse.