Peony 1885 - 1899

Editor: Here we have a striking glass sculpture titled "Peony", created by Thomas Webb & Sons, sometime between 1885 and 1899. The contrast between the ruby red glass and the intricate white carving gives it a jewel-like quality. It feels delicate, almost precious. What's your perspective on it? Curator: I see this piece as speaking volumes about the Arts and Crafts movement's ambition to elevate decorative arts to the level of fine art. Consider the socio-political context: the late 19th century was a time of rapid industrialization, and movements like Arts and Crafts critiqued mass-produced, often poorly designed, goods. Editor: So, something like this vase would have been making a statement? Curator: Absolutely. Its hand-carved nature and high level of craftsmanship reject the factory-made aesthetic. It evokes earlier craft traditions while reflecting contemporary artistic values. Editor: I hadn’t really thought about the labor involved. Now I see a delicate network of a spider web around the neck... Did that imagery have particular significance then? Curator: Good eye. That inclusion, alongside the Peony, transforms the piece. The peony, with roots in Asian cultures and meanings related to wealth, may represent class aspirations. What's the spider's role? It suggests not just beauty, but also artifice and labor. How are things made and for whom? These become crucial considerations when we interpret this object in its time. Editor: That’s fascinating. So, what looked like pure decoration is actually quite pointed. It makes you think about who this would have been made *for*. Curator: Precisely. That question is just as important as admiring the Peony itself. Looking closer reveals the political underpinnings of design and display.