Cup plate 1830 - 1835

This anonymous cup plate is made of glass and features a prominent star motif at its center. In many cultures, the star has been a potent symbol, representing guidance, divinity, and the celestial realm. Consider the Star of Bethlehem, which guided the Magi, or the stars adorning the robes of celestial deities in various traditions. One can trace this motif back to ancient Mesopotamian art, where stars symbolized divine power and destiny. Yet, here, the star is pressed into glass, a material often associated with clarity and fragility, like fleeting moments of insight. What was once a symbol of transcendence is now part of an everyday object. Its cyclical journey from the heavens to the domestic sphere shows how symbols evolve, adapting to new contexts while still echoing ancient meanings in our collective memory.