Paperweight
c. 1845/60
Medium
Glass
Dimensions
Diam.: 7.2 cm (2 7/8 in.)
Classification
paperweight
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
188060
Art Historical Context
This exquisite glass paperweight from the Clichyhouse, dating to around 1845–60, exemplifies the golden age of French glassmaking in the mid-19th century. at the renowned La Fabrique de Cristal Clichy near Paris, it measures just 7. cm in diameter—perfectly sized for a desk accessory that doubled as a collector's treasure. Clichy was one of Europe's premier producers of paperweights during this era, rivaling Baccarat and Saint-Louis in innovation and craftsmanship. Paperweights emerged as a functional art form in the 1840s, born from advances in glassblowing and lampworking techniques. Clichy...
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...