Paperweight c. 1850 - 1875

Editor: Here we have a "Paperweight," created by the New England Glass Company sometime between 1850 and 1875. It's made of glass and is an example of decorative art. The colors swirling inside remind me of a fireworks display, but in a much more contained and elegant way. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see encapsulated beauty, and a captured moment. These paperweights often featured flowers or other motifs, preserved eternally in glass. The weight itself speaks of holding things down, of memory and importance given to the seemingly ephemeral. What stories does this single flower hold? Does it recall a lost love, a special occasion, the brevity of beauty itself? Editor: I never thought about it that way – more about memories than just decoration. Curator: Precisely! Glass itself has been used throughout history to encase relics and sacred objects, so, in some sense, this object has the potential to become venerated. Consider the vibrant colours used—are they just for visual pleasure, or do they speak to something deeper? Is red a symbol of passion? White, perhaps, of purity or remembrance? Editor: I see what you mean. The colours do give it extra weight. It's more than just a pretty object; it’s a little time capsule. I’m going to start paying more attention to colour choices now. Thanks for sharing that perspective! Curator: It's my pleasure. Always consider what visual vocabulary the artist might have employed. Every line and shade can hold significance!