Paperweight c. 20th century

This glass paperweight, by an anonymous artist, features four round spheres in a pyramid. The color is translucent, each ball reflecting a spectrum of iridescence. Looking at this object, I can’t help but think about the process of glassmaking, how it begins as something molten and shapeless, gradually formed and cooled. The artist lets light act as a collaborator, using transparency to illuminate the interior, and to create an optical illusion of depth. The bottom sphere has more color than the others, almost like a bruise. That one little detail really makes the piece, because it suggests weight. It's grounded, literally, but also metaphorically. The arrangement of the spheres feels unstable, as if they could roll away at any moment. This tension makes me think of Vija Celmins and her stone paintings, playing with the idea of weight and gravity. There is something poetic about the idea that something functional like a paperweight can also be so beautiful and contemplative.