Paperweight c. 1845 - 1860

Editor: This is “Paperweight,” created by Baccarat Glassworks around 1845-1860, made from glass and paper. It's so delicate and ornate. What do you see in this piece, considering the time it was made? Curator: It’s interesting to consider its creation within the rise of industrialization. Mass production allowed for items like this to become more accessible to a burgeoning middle class, who sought objects that projected taste and refinement. Were paperweights solely functional or also status symbols? Editor: That’s a good point. I hadn't thought of that. Were paperweights displayed prominently? Curator: Often, yes. Consider how domestic spaces were curated at the time. Displaying carefully chosen objects was a way to project an image of cultural literacy and upward mobility. Think about the burgeoning department stores; these provided an arena for purchasing such symbolic items. This paperweight reflects Victorian-era ideals of domesticity. What effect might it have when juxtaposed alongside images depicting urban life and factory work? Editor: I guess it emphasizes the sharp contrasts in society then. We tend to think of the Victorians as uniform but it sounds like their society was also in flux. Curator: Precisely. So a seemingly innocent item reflects the anxieties and aspirations of a society grappling with massive changes. Looking closely changes everything. Editor: Definitely! I appreciate you helping me understand this work through a cultural lens; I see it much differently now. Curator: And I value the chance to see an item of its time given new life by each generation.