Paperweight c. 19th century

This paperweight at the Art Institute of Chicago, crafted by Baccarat Glassworks, encases a delicate flower rendered in glass. The flower, with its upward growth, has been a universal symbol of life, renewal, and hope. Consider the ancient Egyptian lotus, reborn each dawn, or the medieval Christian fleur-de-lis, symbolizing purity and resurrection. The upward orientation of the flower is not merely botanical; it is a visual echo of humanity's aspirations, a yearning for transcendence. The flower in this paperweight is not unique; it resurfaces time and again, in various guises, across cultures and epochs, each time subtly altered by the collective subconscious. It is the enduring appeal of nature and the human spirit made visible.