Goblet (Pokal) c. 1660

This delicate glass goblet was crafted by Georg Schwanhard the First. The glassmaking tradition in seventeenth-century Europe was one of cultural exchange, its designs often transcending national and religious boundaries. As you turn to view the goblet, consider its transparency. Does its clarity reflect the Enlightenment ideals of the era? The period valued reason and knowledge, and it coincides with burgeoning scientific discoveries, including in optics. This goblet, with its understated elegance, invites a moment of reflection on how objects of daily life embody and transmit the values of their time. And isn’t it curious how something so fragile can carry so much history?