Paperweight c. 1848 - 1855

This paperweight was created by the Clichy Glasshouse between 1837 and 1885. Inside the glass, we see a carefully arranged bouquet of flowers. The depiction of flowers has roots stretching back to ancient times. We see it in the Egyptian custom of placing flowers on tombs, a symbolic gesture of rebirth and renewal. Think also of the Roman festivals honoring Flora, the goddess of flowers and spring, where floral displays celebrated the cyclical nature of life. In later centuries, the "language of flowers" became popular, assigning specific meanings to different blooms, a coded form of communication rooted in the cultural memory. Such floral motifs trigger deep, subconscious feelings related to our transient existence. This paperweight becomes more than a mere decorative object, it is a vessel carrying the collective memory of life’s ephemeral beauty. Over time the symbolic weight of flowers has persisted, resurfacing in art and culture, endlessly shifting and evolving.