Lidded goblet c. 1750s

This lidded goblet resides here at the Rijksmuseum, crafted anonymously from glass. Its transparency invites an immediate focus on form, the interplay between clear structure and delicate engraving. The goblet's design, divided into distinct tiers, presents a study in structural elegance. The base broadens to support a stem composed of spherical nodes and a widening, conical bowl. Crowning this is a lid, topped with a multifaceted finial that catches and refracts light. Engraved patterns adorn the glass, their semiotic function evoking themes of royalty or celebration, yet their ethereal execution renders them almost abstract. The goblet challenges our assumptions about value. Is it purely ornamental, a display of skill and luxury, or does its function somehow elevate the everyday to the ceremonial? Its transparency asks us to reflect on what is revealed and concealed, on the play between surface and depth, and ultimately, on the act of seeing itself.