Mould-Blown Cameo Glass Vase 

This is a mould-blown cameo glass vase created by Emile Galle. Galle was a major force in the Art Nouveau movement, which sought to bring art into everyday life, often inspired by the natural world. Consider the vase not just as an object of beauty, but as a statement of identity in a rapidly industrializing world. The intricate details, the hand-carved leaves and berries, all speak to a desire to reconnect with nature and the handmade. It challenges the rigid structures of class by making art accessible. "My roots are in the woods," Galle once said, and it shows. The vase is more than decoration; it embodies a longing for an idealized, pre-industrial past. It reflects a broader societal quest for meaning and beauty amidst the changes of the late 19th century, inviting us to reflect on our relationship with nature and craft.