Vaas van paars glas c. 1924 - 1925

This vase of purple glass was made by Chris Lebeau; though the date is unknown, it lives here at the Rijksmuseum. Imagine Lebeau blowing the molten glass, coaxing this purplish form into being. You get a sense of this slow, meticulous work, the way the curves and subtle undulations of the surface catch the light. It’s like a painting, in a way, this object—a dance between intention and chance. There’s something so satisfying about the heft and smoothness of glass, the way it feels cool to the touch yet seems to glow from within. The color here is so rich and deep, like an eggplant in the sun. I think about the other artists—like the Venetian glassblowers—who have explored the possibilities of this material, pushing its boundaries. It makes me feel part of something bigger, this conversation across time.