Tumbler c. 1815 - 1840

Here is a glass tumbler held at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, crafted by an anonymous artist. Its clear, crystalline form offers a study in texture and pattern. Note how horizontal bands, etched with parallel lines, frame fields of diamond and star motifs. This arrangement creates a play of light and shadow, transforming a simple drinking vessel into a complex visual experience. The anonymous maker seems to engage with structuralist ideas about underlying patterns in everyday objects. The tumbler's design can be interpreted as a semiotic system. The etched patterns acting as signs, hinting at broader cultural codes of domestic life and mass production. Yet, the artist's decision to destabilize meaning through subtle variations in the pattern prevents any fixed interpretation. Ultimately, it is in the formal qualities of transparency and repetitive design, that this tumbler transcends its utilitarian purpose. It invites ongoing interpretation and appreciation of the beauty inherent in everyday form.