Paperweight c. 1848 - 1855

This is a glass paperweight, probably made in France by Baccarat Glassworks. These objects, popular in the 19th century, were luxury items, made using complex glassmaking techniques. But why would one encase a flower in glass? Consider the 19th-century obsession with natural history, classification, and preservation. Paperweights captured nature, freezing it in a pristine, unchanging state. Think about the rise of the middle class at this time and how the ownership of such an object was a way of demonstrating one’s wealth, taste, and appreciation for scientific knowledge. If you study the history of glassmaking, the techniques used, and the social context of the era, you will begin to see this paperweight as more than just a pretty object. Rather, it becomes a signifier of its time, reflecting the values, aspirations, and social structures of 19th-century France. Remember, even a small object can reveal a great deal about the world in which it was made.