Paperweight c. 1845 - 1860

This "Paperweight" is a stunning example of millefiori glass, a technique that originated in Venice in the 15th century and reached its peak in the 19th century. The artist Clichy Glasshouse created this intricate paperweight sometime between 1845 and 1860. This paperweight features a mesmerizing array of colorful glass rods, or canes, arranged in a radial pattern to create a flower-like design. The technique involves fusing together rods of colored glass and then slicing them to reveal cross-sections that resemble tiny flowers. These delicate "flowers" are then incorporated into larger glass objects like this paperweight, which is now housed in the Art Institute of Chicago.