Paperweight c. 1845 - 1860

This glass paperweight, crafted by Baccarat Glassworks, presents a triad of vibrant blue flowers suspended in crystal. Here, the floral motif transcends mere decoration; flowers are potent symbols in the theater of human expression. Consider the symbolic weight of the triad. In antiquity, three figures or objects invoke a sense of completeness and unity, think of the Three Graces, emblems of beauty and charm. Our collective memory recognizes such arrangements, drawing subconscious connections to concepts of harmony and balance. In the Victorian era, floriography, the language of flowers, assigned meanings to each bloom. A blue flower could signify desire or love, imbuing an object with hidden messages of courtship and sentiment. The careful arrangement, frozen within the glass, speaks to the powerful human desire to capture and preserve beauty. It’s a microcosm of our complex relationship with nature, a desire to understand and distill our experiences in tangible form. The symbol returns, in new forms, again and again.