Goblet 16th century

Curator: This 16th-century goblet, likely from Tyrol, now resides here at the Metropolitan Museum. The subtle transparency of the glass is what struck me first, combined with its rather monumental shape. Editor: Yes, its almost eerie lack of color gives it an ethereal presence, as if it might vanish before your eyes. What kind of statements were being made about conspicuous consumption when you can almost see through the vessel designed to display that consumption? Curator: That's fascinating! Glassware, then as now, definitely signified status. And this one is unique, because the subtle textures of the diamond cuts at its center act as small fractal images, refracting both light and social symbolism in controlled, and almost gem-like displays. Each indentation becomes an icon. Editor: Thinking about what kind of light this was originally used in, the way the projections and shadows of light might flicker... the refraction might also stand in for the fleeting nature of power or influence. Consider how such a goblet would appear during court intrigues, at events designed to publicly enforce class and gender structures. Who were those at court and at the table, and who was relegated to the kitchen with plainer cups? Curator: That puts its material elegance in an interesting new context. But in terms of sheer aesthetics, I cannot deny how drawn I am to the glassblowing, creating and joining these shapes…it's really master-class. Editor: Agreed. But it also forces a contemplation around power—the power required to demand an object be made so beautifully, the historical power dynamics at play in that one form. To consume from such an intricate cup implicates us. Curator: Precisely, its beauty holds this strange tension that is impossible to miss now that you mention it! Thanks for the context and considerations on this marvelous piece. Editor: Thank you. I will consider that material value as it exists now and existed in centuries past.