Wineglass 18th century

Curator: Welcome. We're looking at an 18th-century glass wineglass, part of the collection here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Notice the baroque style evident in its delicate and intricate details. Editor: It's like holding a cloud in your hand. So incredibly fragile, yet there's this elaborate dance of light playing across it. Makes you wonder about the hands that shaped it and the lips that once touched it. Curator: Exactly! Wineglasses from this period weren't just functional objects; they were potent symbols of wealth, refinement, and social status. Displaying this kind of ornate glass signaled a family's importance. Editor: I can totally see that. But beyond the symbolism, imagine the craftsmanship. Creating something so delicate, so transparent, and then etching those figures onto it... It's kind of mind-blowing. Justice, I see... Curator: Precisely. It seems to be Justice, holding scales of judgement. And look at how the light catches the figure, emphasizing its features as you turn it. Editor: I am curious, in its own time did these fragile objects survive being used on any significant occasion? Curator: Glassware production increased throughout the eighteenth century with advances that ultimately allowed for widespread consumption of fragile luxury goods like this across society, but these ornate examples were likely still quite prized objects Editor: Thinking about this object, I mean, beyond its historical context, makes me consider my own relationships to fleeting moments and cherished objects. Like, what will *my* wineglass tell future generations? Maybe that I preferred boxed wine? *chuckles* Curator: That’s a perfect connection. I appreciate that it speaks to art’s capability of making grand historical forces, in addition to intensely personal reflections! Editor: Absolutely! Thanks, I definitely see that Baroque sparkle a little differently now.