Floriform Vase c. 1900

Editor: Here we have the Floriform Vase by Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company. It's glass, of course, and quite tall. The colors feel very natural, and almost dreamlike. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a deliberate engagement with the aesthetics of nature, but also a commentary on industrialization. The floral form is meticulously crafted, almost in defiance of mass production. How might we interpret this as a statement on the Arts and Crafts movement's anxieties about a changing world? Editor: So, it’s not just pretty glass, but a statement? Curator: Precisely. Tiffany’s work often navigates the tension between nature, luxury, and the rise of industry. Consider the context of the Gilded Age, and who this art was made for. Editor: I never thought about it that way, seeing the art as pushing against something. It makes me appreciate it more. Curator: Art can be subversive, even when it appears decorative.