Paperweight
19th century
Medium
Glass
Dimensions
Diam.: 6.3 cm (2 1/2 in.)
Classification
paperweight
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
94467
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Applied Arts of Europe department at the Art Institute of Chicago this delicate glass paperweight from the Clichyhouse exemplifies 19th-century French ingenuity. Measuring just 6.3 cm in diameter, served as both a practical desk accessory and showcase of virtuoso glassmaking. Clichy, a renowned manufactory near Paris active from the 1830s to the 1870s, rose to prominence during the "golden age" of paperweights (circa 1845–1865), when these objects became coveted collectibles among the elite. Crafted from fine glass, the paperweight highlights advanced techniques like millefiori...
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...