Paperweight c. 19th century

Curator: This is a nineteenth-century glass paperweight, attributed to the Compagnie de Saint Louis. It’s currently part of the Art Institute of Chicago’s collection. Editor: It's beautiful! The floral design suspended within the clear glass reminds me of a captured moment, preserved for eternity. There is a certain Victorian sentimentality about it. Curator: Precisely. Consider the techniques involved in its manufacture; layers of molten glass, carefully manipulated. What strikes me is how this everyday object elevates labor and the hand-made at a time when industrial processes were beginning to dominate. Editor: The popularity of paperweights speaks volumes about the rise of literacy and bureaucratic culture in the 19th century. Paper ephemera demanded order, demanding containment and control. This otherwise functional item is reimagined, becoming a miniature monument, a celebration of leisure. Curator: These objects offered artisans a canvas for complex skills and innovative techniques, particularly in glassmaking. These artisans negotiated boundaries between craft and fine art. This involved carefully controlling heat and timing in their furnace-based labor, and choosing materials for specific colors. Editor: How do you see it relating to contemporary artistic practices that also examine the use of industrial materials and elevate functional objects? Curator: This piece could inspire many of our artists. If you think of the Pattern and Decoration movement of the 1970s that rebelled against minimalist art. Or you think of contemporary design practices focused on reuse and subversion. There is so much possibility to reimagine what beauty can be. Editor: Agreed. It’s also interesting to think about its presence in the museum context. How does displaying an item like this in an institution devoted to art impact its status and meaning? Curator: It invites audiences to ponder and re-examine their perceptions of everyday items. To notice, value, and appreciate the material labor involved in even the humblest item. It bridges gaps between utility and pure artistry. Editor: Exactly. Well, I’ve definitely gained a new appreciation for paperweights! Curator: Me too, and hopefully our listeners will as well.