Bowl 18th-19th century

This bowl, made anonymously, is a simple object transformed by the qualities of its material: glass. That material likely started as sand, heated to an extreme temperature, then blown or pressed into this form. See how the repeating pattern catches and refracts light, giving the piece an understated elegance? This texture wasn't created by hand, but rather impressed with a mold. It speaks to the industrialization of glass production, where standardized designs could be replicated efficiently. Consider the labor involved in its creation – from the mining of raw materials to the operation of factory machinery. It is a testament to glass’s versatility and ubiquity, often overlooked despite its central role in our daily lives. By attending to the material and process behind this bowl, we can appreciate the ingenuity and labor that shaped it, challenging the boundary between functional object and artful creation.