Aperitif glass c. 1920

This aperitif glass was created by an anonymous artist, and sits here in the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Looking at it, I'm imagining the moment when it was made: an unknown person working with molten glass, coaxing it into this delicate form. There's something so simple, yet refined, about the shape of the glass, the way the stem narrows and flares, and the subtle, swirly knot nestled at its core. The glass is so thin that it seems barely there. You can see how light shimmers through its surface, creating a play of soft, warm tones. I can imagine that the artist might have been trying to make something both functional and beautiful, something that would elevate the simple act of taking a drink, maybe thinking about all the people who would one day enjoy a pre-dinner beverage in this lovely glass. There's something really comforting about the idea that artists, even anonymous ones from long ago, are still here, influencing and inspiring each other across time.