Kan met verguld montuur c. 1900

This is a glass 'Kan met verguld montuur', or jug with gilded mount, made by Daum Frères. The jug's form is defined by a contrast between organic and geometric elements. Its glass body swells in an ovoid shape, painted with poppies in shades of pink and green, invoking nature's softness. But this is sharply countered by the rigid geometry of the gilded metal mount, with its precisely cast handle, spout and base that encase the glass. The poppies themselves, rendered with a painterly touch, appear almost detached from the jug’s surface. They could represent the fleeting nature of beauty, a common theme in art and philosophy. The contrast between the flowing floral design and the structured metalwork could reflect a tension between natural and artificial, or between freedom and control. This is heightened by the jug’s function as a container, a space that defines and limits the liquid it holds, thus playing with ideas of containment. The combination of these elements invites ongoing interpretation; its meaning is not fixed.