Paperweight c. 1845 - 1855

This Clichy Glasshouse paperweight, crafted around the mid-19th century, captivates with its mesmerizing composition of swirling green and white bands encased in glass. The concentric arrangement draws the eye inward, culminating in a delicate, stylized flower at its center. The paperweight's formal qualities are striking. The spiraling lines create a dynamic sense of movement, while the contrast between the opaque bands and transparent glass produces depth and luminosity. This interplay reflects broader 19th-century interests in optics and visual perception, even in decorative objects. Considered through a structuralist lens, the paperweight's design can be seen as a system of signs. The flower, traditionally associated with nature and beauty, is abstracted and stylized, becoming a symbol within the glass orb's structured world. The bands, their arrangement and relationship to the floral motif, create meaning through their interplay. Ultimately, this paperweight functions not merely as a functional object but as a microcosm of formal and symbolic relationships, inviting ongoing contemplation.