Pitcher c. 1850 - 1870

Curator: Ah, here's a wonderful example of mid-19th century glasswork. This "Pitcher", as it's known, comes to us from between 1850 and 1870. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Editor: Isn't it sweet? Makes me think of lemonade on a porch, summer dresses and that quiet domestic bliss of a bygone era. So pristine and simple! Curator: "Simple" is an interesting choice of words, considering the process. The mold-blown glass, likely made by a team of skilled glassblowers and mold makers, demonstrates an interesting tension. It was during this time that mass production of such decorative pieces truly started to pick up. The mold itself would have been a highly skilled job. Editor: Right, I suppose my "simple" glosses over all that intensive labor. I get swept away by how beautifully it catches the light. Almost ethereal. The repetition of the little bubble patterns also speaks to a sort of…harmony. Like a musical scale in glass. Curator: Indeed. That patterned effect results from carefully cut molds into which the glass would be blown. A piece like this suggests shifts in industrial production and consumerism in America at the time. We might consider who could afford such decorative, non-essential wares, and what it signified socially to possess them. Editor: It makes you wonder about its previous owners and how many hands it passed through to end up here in a museum. The stories a little vessel like this could tell, I bet, would be pretty special. Curator: Certainly. The "Pitcher," even something as commonplace as a water pitcher, invites us to consider the complex social and economic networks that gave rise to it, and in doing so provides valuable insight into the culture and dynamics of the period. Editor: Absolutely. For me, it's more about that sense of nostalgia and simpler times. Both readings add depth. Curator: I concur.