Dish c. 1675 - 1685

This clear glass dish is adorned with swirling script around its rim, a style that reflects the fashion for elaborate penmanship of its time. Calligraphy, beyond its practical function, becomes a dance of letters. These flourishes are not merely decorative; they echo the tradition of the ‘scriptoria’ of the Middle Ages, where monks painstakingly copied texts, imbuing each page with sacred significance. Notice how the curves and loops resemble the arabesques found in Islamic art. Such patterns, boundless and intricate, symbolize the infinite and eternal. They have been passed down and transformed across cultures, reflecting a human desire to express the intangible. The dish, then, is not just an object, but a vessel of cultural memory. It invites us to consider how even the simplest forms can carry the weight of history. It is a testament to the enduring power of symbols to connect us across time.