Figure Dish 1880 - 1890

Curator: Immediately, I'm struck by its luminescence. It has an ethereal quality, this 'Figure Dish'. Editor: That's a fitting observation, actually. This particular piece, residing at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, dates back to the late 19th century, made somewhere between 1880 and 1890. It's an American piece attributed to McKee and Brothers. Curator: The texture is incredible. Notice how the cascading flutes of the dish contrast with the smooth, almost cloud-like form of the animal resting within? It creates a beautiful tension. Editor: McKee and Brothers were quite active in the pressed glass industry, particularly noted for their novelty pieces during the Victorian era. Objects like these weren't purely functional; they signified middle-class aspirations for beauty in the home. Curator: Exactly. It’s a marker of social and economic shifts in post-Civil War America, wasn't it? The expanding market created an incredible demand for aesthetically pleasing goods. Editor: Certainly. Glassware like this, though relatively inexpensive compared to cut crystal, allowed consumers to participate in a culture of conspicuous display. Note, too, how the animal—perhaps a dog or cat—mirrors Victorian sentimental attachments to pets as beloved family members. Curator: The animal form domesticates what might otherwise be perceived as just a beautiful object, anchoring it in everyday affections and societal values. It merges beauty with functionality, transforming it beyond mere décor. Editor: Precisely. This simple piece reveals volumes about Victorian America—its burgeoning industrialization, shifting class structures, and sentimental aesthetics all encapsulated within a humble glass dish. Curator: Looking at it, you realize something simple, decorative pieces often contain complex stories, about society, its ambitions, its sentimentality. Editor: I find myself appreciating how much a simple exploration of form reveals and conceals social value. It’s all there if we pause and really consider it.