Paperweight c. 1845 - 1860

This paperweight was created by Baccarat Glassworks, and its smooth, round surface invites you to come closer. Encased within is a serpentine form spiraling around a verdant center. Paperweights like these were luxury items, but this one seems to be playing with some darker ideas, doesn’t it? The snake, often a symbol of temptation or knowledge, here coils around what appears to be a patch of moss. Is it guarding something, or perhaps trapped itself? The clear glass magnifies the scene, distorting our view and questioning our perspective. The Baccarat Glassworks was at the height of its fame when it produced this seemingly innocuous object, but could its creators have been hinting at a more complex relationship between power, beauty, and containment? The weight of the glass in your hand might feel like a world of unspoken stories.