Paperweight c. 1845 - 1860

This paperweight, crafted by Compagnie de Saint Louis, showcases a mesmerizing concentric design, dominated by floral motifs. The central rosette, with its kaleidoscopic arrangement, echoes ancient symbols of the cosmos, evoking mandalas used across various cultures to represent the universe and promote contemplation. Notice how the surrounding patterns ripple outwards. These wave-like forms find echoes in the depiction of water in classical art. Water as a symbol, can be seen as a representation of the subconscious, a fluid, ever-changing realm of the psyche. The meticulous arrangement of these elements speaks to a deep-seated human desire for order and beauty, reflecting psychological impulses to find structure in the chaos of existence. The paperweight encapsulates a timeless urge to capture and preserve fleeting beauty. Like flowers pressed between pages, it evokes the bittersweet awareness of time's passage. This tension, between the eternal and the ephemeral, continues to resurface, reminding us of art's enduring power to confront and console.