One of Twenty-Three Sheets of Drawings of Glassware (Mirrors, Chandeliers, Goblets, etc.) 1850 - 1880

Curator: This delicate sheet, "One of Twenty-Three Sheets of Drawings of Glassware," attributed to Compagnia di Venezia e Murano, likely created between 1850 and 1880, offers a fascinating glimpse into Venetian glass design. It resides here with us at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The artwork combines ink, watercolor, and possibly print techniques. Editor: Immediately, I’m struck by this faded, almost ethereal quality. Like catching whispers of forgotten feasts, opulent banquets. I get a sense of light filtering through colored liquids in elaborate, impractical shapes. Curator: Precisely! Notice how the artist has meticulously rendered various forms: goblets, decanters, even what appears to be a mirrored surface are present here. There’s a real emphasis on the profile, a clear concern with outline and structure, and of course the decorative flourishes along the rims. Editor: Decorative flourishes! Yes. Almost cartoonish in their exuberance. Like little golden crowns perching on each glass. I feel it pulls it away from pure functionality – these aren't for chugging water, that's for sure. These objects were meant to be seen and admired. And probably terribly fragile! Curator: Indeed. These decorative touches speak to a particular moment in Venetian glassmaking. It shows a leaning towards opulence, yet with a precision indicating factory production rather than free-blown unique items. The numerical notations suggest cataloging; this may have served as a kind of visual inventory for potential clients. Editor: So, something of an antique "Wish List," maybe? I wonder who might have poured from that elaborately gilded decanter in the top-right corner… or spilled something gaudy like pomegranate juice in that fuchsia goblet on the left? The paper gives it an aspect of ephemerality, but the artistry hints at endurance and prestige. Curator: That juxtaposition creates a dialogue across time. On the one hand, a fleeting catalogue page and, on the other hand, an implication of enduring, high art. It creates an exquisite tension and reveals historical value beyond aesthetics alone. Editor: It definitely leaves one imagining the hands that dreamt these things, the mouths that tasted from them, and how they caught the Venetian light back in the day. An invitation to travel back in time to taste their unique blend of beauty and history!