Figured flask 1830 - 1838

Curator: Up next, we have an intriguing amber glass "Figured Flask," created sometime between 1830 and 1838 by the Kensington Glass Works. What strikes you first about this piece? Editor: A sepia dream… Or maybe a faded memory pressed in amber. It feels historical, obviously, but there's also something melancholy about it, almost like staring at a daguerreotype that time forgot, despite being beautifully preserved. Curator: The portrait undoubtedly anchors that sense of the past. Notice how the flask's oval shape and concentric rings focus the viewer's eye, leading directly to the central figure rendered with surprising detail given the medium. The amber glass both obscures and illuminates the representation. It's masterful in its simplicity. Editor: Indeed, the choice of glass lends the figure an almost ethereal quality, like an apparition. Who is it supposed to be anyway? He seems familiar, some sort of… statesman, perhaps? Curator: Speculation suggests it depicts Benjamin Franklin. The hairstyle and slightly severe expression certainly align with that assumption. Remember, these flasks were mass-produced; embedding national figures in utilitarian objects served a specific cultural purpose. It solidified the nation’s identity. Editor: You’re right—functional idolatry! So practical yet, unexpectedly personal. I'm just wondering, in those years, did everyone wander around with Franklin, conveniently on hand, filled to the brim with who-knows-what? Curator: Whiskey, most likely! The flask becomes this intimate, ever-present nod to the country’s forefathers. Though intended for practical usage, its historical and symbolic depth elevates it. Editor: You're right—it's not just something you see; you imbibe history, in a way, through every pour! I had not considered that. Curator: Exactly, and seeing the glass in person allows one to witness the subtle craftsmanship, the light playing across the contours of Franklin’s face... it transforms the historical into the human. Editor: I'll definitely need to keep an eye out for this the next time I am at the museum. Thanks, that was incredibly illuminating.