Paperweight
c. 1845/60
Medium
Glass
Dimensions
Diam.: 8.1 cm (3 3/16 in.)
Classification
paperweight
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
159380
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The colorful geometric clusters embedded in this paperweight reflect the nineteenth-century European fascination with optical effects. Sir David Brewster invented the kaleidoscope in 1815, and its colorful and changing patterns brought great visual entertainment. Paperweights such as this example reformed this childlike pastime for a sophisticated adult audience. Depicted in glass were tiny glittering flowers, small black and blue cameos of figures, and even miniature bottlecaps. These were deli...
About the Artist
Clichy Glasshouse · 1837–1885
The Verrerie de Clichy, also known as the Clichy Glasshouse or Cristalleries de Clichy, was established in 1837 through the merger of local glassworks at Billancourt near Paris, under the direction of Rouyer and Maes. The firm relocated to Clichy-la-Garenne in 1839, where it initially produced utilitarian items like bottles and tableware before pivoting to luxury glass objects amid France's burgeo...