Paperweight
c. 1848–55
Medium
Glass
Dimensions
Diam.: 7.6 cm (3 in.)
Classification
paperweight
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
54857
Art Historical Context
This exquisite glass paperweight from Baccarat Glassworks, dating to around 1848–55, exemplifies the pinnacle of 19th-century French decorative. Produced during the factory's golden era under royal patronage, Baccarat revolutionized luxury glassmaking with its innovative techniques, including intricate millefiori (thousand flowers) designs formed by fusing colorful glass canes into vivid, dome-encased motifs. At just 3 inches in diameter this compact object was both a practical desk accessory—born from the era's rise of paperwork and the personal writing desk—and a showcase of technical virtuo...
About the Artist
Baccarat Glassworks
Baccarat Glassworks, founded in 1764 in the Lorraine village of Baccarat, France, emerged from a royal decree by King Louis XV granting Bishop Monseigneur de Montmorency-Laval permission to establish a glass factory. Leveraging abundant local driftwood from the Vosges forest and skilled craftsmen, the works initially produced soda glass for windows, mirrors, and everyday stemware, employing thousa...