Paperweight c. mid 19th century

This paperweight was made by the Clichy Glasshouse between 1837 and 1885. Notice how the circular form of the paperweight immediately directs our gaze into the piece, its smooth, glassy surface reflecting and distorting light. The composition is structured around a central motif: a stark white silhouette of a person's head in profile. This figure, combined with reversed lettering, disrupts our reading and introduces a semiotic puzzle. The figure is encircled by a delicate garland of small, white flowers, their repetition creating a rhythmic pattern that softens the otherwise austere design. The choice of a pale green for the glass’s background evokes feelings of serenity and nostalgia. The paperweight plays with the contrast between transparency and opacity, flatness and depth, challenging our perception and suggesting a complex interplay of layers. As an object, it encapsulates an era's fascination with miniaturization, symbolism, and the interplay between surface and interior.