Lobed Lotus-Petal Bowl with Foliate Handles c. 18th century

Curator: This delicate object is a Lobed Lotus-Petal Bowl with Foliate Handles, dating from around the 18th century in Mughal India, and currently residing here at the Art Institute of Chicago. Editor: It looks surprisingly ethereal, like solidified moonlight. The pale celadon color and delicate carvings lend it a very dreamlike quality. Curator: Indeed, it is a rather fine example of Mughal craftsmanship, especially considering the difficulties inherent in carving glass. I'm particularly drawn to the lotus petal design—so beautifully articulated. It shows such control of the medium. Editor: The lotus is definitely significant, appearing often as a symbol of purity, spiritual awakening, and even divine birth in Eastern iconography. This would have carried quite a symbolic weight for anyone using it. Curator: And beyond the symbolic content, there's also the social aspect. Bowls like this would've likely been luxury items, implying wealth, and also reflecting the specialized labour required in its manufacture. Artisans with unique glass-carving abilities must have been sought after for such creations. Editor: I can't help but wonder if the slight imperfections, the faint blemishes within the glass, were viewed as flaws, or embraced as evidence of the hand of the artisan—acknowledging human labor over machine perfection. Did it change its value? Curator: A valid question. We need to examine not just the final object, but the entire context of production, and how the value would change. But focusing on symbolism, the lotus iconography connects this object to long traditions of visual meaning. Perhaps even reinforcing the authority of whoever used it. Editor: Well, my focus is more inclined toward its physicality and fabrication, while I find value in understanding its historical significance, as well as in what this glass bowl signifies from a historical labor standpoint, a material perspective. Curator: Exactly, looking closely and considering its context, the Lobed Lotus-Petal Bowl transcends its material existence, becoming an evocative artifact imbued with beauty, tradition, and craftsmanship. Editor: It is definitely inspiring to observe it both as a sculpture and a work stemming from human hands in a specific time, from which cultural heritage and skills meet in material creation.