Wine glass after 1690

This is a wine glass, crafted by an anonymous maker, and currently held in the Rijksmuseum collection. Its clear glass surface is delicately engraved with what appears to be a crest. Consider the cultural status of wine glasses. They’re not merely functional objects, but symbols of refinement, festivity, and social status. The engraved crest suggests a connection to nobility, perhaps commissioned to celebrate a marriage or commemorate a significant historical event. The act of toasting, deeply embedded in social rituals, elevates the glass to a vessel of shared emotions and collective identity. This seemingly simple object speaks volumes about the complex interplay between power, identity, and celebration. What stories could this glass tell if it could speak?