Celery Vase
Artist unknown
1845–65
Medium
Mold-blown and pressed glass
Dimensions
26.6 × 11.6 diam. (base) × 14 cm diam. (top) (10 7/8 × 4 9/16 diam. (base) × 5 /12 in. diam. (top)
Classification
vase
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
71115
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Because of the time-consuming cultivation it requires, celery was considered an expensive luxury food in the mid-19th century. Usually owned in pairs, vases of this type were filled with celery and prominently displayed at either end of a dining table during the evening meal. The paneled and fluted pattern of this vase was one of the most popular of the time.