Paperweight c. 19th century

This paperweight was created by the Baccarat Glassworks. Baccarat, one of the oldest glass factories in France, first made paperweights in the mid-1840s, quickly developing a reputation for quality and innovation. These weights became highly fashionable luxury items, coveted status symbols during the mid-19th century. The motifs encased within often alluded to the natural world, such as in this example depicting ducks. The naturalism was especially appealing to the rising middle class in Europe, during a period of rapid industrialization and urbanization. Representing wildlife offered an escape from this reality. An interesting avenue for further research involves examining Baccarat’s historical relationship to French aristocratic and political elites. Who were the consumers of these paperweights? How did Baccarat's glassworks help establish France's cultural authority on the world stage? These are the kinds of questions that social art historians ask.