Paperweight c. 1845 - 1860

This paperweight was made at the Clichy Glasshouse in France, sometime between 1837 and 1885, using lampworking and glassblowing techniques. The artists, or artisans, formed complex floral patterns from delicate glass canes, arranging them with remarkable precision within the molten glass. The vivid colors and intricate designs are achieved through careful manipulation of the materials. Notice how the individual glass components are gathered and fused together, and how the domed shape acts as a lens, magnifying the internal details. It is a testament to the skill involved that such detail could be achieved. These paperweights were luxury items, emblems of bourgeois taste during the industrial revolution, and required many hours of labor and specific technical expertise. Appreciating the artistry and process involved in making them helps us challenge the traditional hierarchy between craft and fine art.