Paperweight c. 1845 - 1860

This paperweight was created by the Clichy Glasshouse in France, sometime between 1837 and 1885. It is a delicate object, a microcosm of floral beauty preserved in glass. During the 19th century, glassmaking was deeply embedded in the cultural and economic shifts of industrialization. The rise of factories and mass production offered new avenues for artistic expression, but also raised questions about labor, class, and the role of the individual artisan. In a male-dominated industry, the detailed and precise work required for paperweights often relegated women to specific roles in the manufacturing process, reflecting broader gendered divisions of labor. The paperweight, then, becomes a symbol of both artistic innovation and social stratification. The arrangement of the millefiori—thousands of flowers—captures a moment of manufactured beauty. It invites us to reflect on the human desire to capture and control nature, and to consider the social and economic forces that shape our relationship to both art and the natural world.