Paperweight c. 1848 - 1855

This paperweight, of unknown date, was made at the Baccarat Glassworks. Objects such as this one were designed to be both beautiful and functional, holding down papers while offering a glimpse into an almost miniature world. Consider the serpent coiled within. Snakes have carried weighty symbolism across cultures, often representing duality. They can symbolize healing and rebirth, but also temptation, danger, and hidden knowledge. Encased in glass, the serpent's power is both contained and amplified, turning it into an object of contemplation. What does it mean to capture and display such a potent symbol in a domestic object? Paperweights like these were often given as gifts and served as emblems of status in the nineteenth century. They were collected and displayed, reflecting aspirations of an ordered life and a curiosity with the natural world. This object speaks to our complex relationship with nature, the allure of containing its wildness, and the stories we project onto its creatures.