Covered Goblet with Male and Female Silhouettes c. 1795

Editor: We’re looking at a covered goblet made around 1795 by Johann Sigismund Menzel. It’s glass, and it features two striking silhouettes. I’m fascinated by how clear and intricate the glasswork is, while those black silhouettes provide such a strong contrast. What do you make of it? Curator: From a formalist perspective, the power of this piece lies in its geometric structure and contrasting elements. Note how the goblet’s form – the base, the stem, the rounded body, the lid – echoes classical proportions. And then the artist disrupts this established harmony with the insertion of two-dimensional portrait medallions. Editor: So, the artist is playing with our expectations of form? Curator: Precisely. Consider the engraved patterns covering the glass, almost invisible against the transparency, juxtaposed against the opaque blackness of the silhouettes. This creates visual tension and draws the eye across the surface, prompting us to analyse the composition and relationship of its disparate parts. Observe too, how the placement of those gilded portrait medallions disrupt the goblet’s overall symmetry, creating dynamism within the structured design. How do the roundels themselves modify your perceptions? Editor: Now that you mention it, they're framed in gold, which also contrasts the black figures. Do you think it represents something symbolic? Curator: It would be a projection of symbolic qualities not evidenced through intrinsic examination. Instead, consider that gold highlights reinforce the formal dichotomy between positive and negative space, accentuating the clean lines of the portraits and preventing the silhouettes from overwhelming the piece. The choice of silhouettes is key as well; devoid of detail, these simplified profiles draw focus on the pure shape and arrangement, echoing the larger, more architectural design choices. Editor: I hadn't thought about how even those small portraits were working within the larger structure of the piece. That close reading really brings out its artistic achievement. Curator: Indeed. By analysing its formal properties – shape, composition, material – we uncover Menzel’s masterful control and can therefore truly appreciate the piece's inherent ingenuity.