Paperweight c. 1848 - 1855

Curator: The Art Institute holds this charming piece made by Baccarat Glassworks between 1848 and 1855; it’s titled “Paperweight”. Editor: Well, isn't that delightful. It evokes such a feeling of contained joy. The perfect little world, preserved in glass. Curator: Precisely! The object features glass, showcasing an encapsulated composition of two strawberries nestled amongst vibrant green leaves. Considering the era, this type of ornate paperweight became a celebrated object, representative of industry. Editor: Encapsulation is apt, the strawberries frozen at what seems like peak ripeness. The weight of the clear glass dome above this miniature garden enhances the feeling of observing an ideal that is close but not possible to reach. What kind of statement was the growing industrial class making when owning something like this? Curator: I think it reflected the growing cultural interest in botany, and simultaneously this urge to tame nature with industry, enclosing it in what is effectively a very luxurious trinket for one's desk. Strawberries had been cultivated and celebrated since the 1300's and this item marks a very deliberate appreciation for symbols of sweetness and light as applied to the personal or domestic sphere. It really emphasizes that the owner valued the finer things in life. Editor: That interplay between fragility and preservation is potent. Does this symbolism speak to a wider societal yearning or anxiety during that time, perhaps a subtle counterpoint to the industrial revolution? Curator: Undoubtedly. As urbanization rapidly transformed landscapes, domestic items like these became little capsules of preserved beauty, and functioned to allay fears of a rapidly changing world. It offered a visual counterpoint to a lot of what would have otherwise symbolized work life. Editor: A fascinating synthesis of art, nature, and social commentary then, locked within a transparent sphere. Something small but loaded with ideas. Curator: It speaks volumes, doesn’t it? An era and the symbolic items that provide comfort during transitions, it really encourages us to find new ways to connect history with everyday objects.