Vase with Dolphins and Flowers

About this artwork

This tall vase showcases many glassmaking techniques and decorative features admired by American tourists in the late nineteenth century. Its trumpetlike form suggests the action of glassblowing, with the artist's breath extending molten material into an elegant, fluted cone. A trio of dolphins and chrysanthemums rings the stem, each meticulously constructed, attached, and shaped over an open flame. Flowers and sea creatures were favorite decorative elements in Venetian glassware of the seventee...

Art Historical Context

Step into the shimmering world of Venetian glass with *Vase with Dolphins and*, crafted by the Compagnia di Venezia eano (CVM) around the 1880s-1890s. This piece from the Smithsonian American Art Museum's decorative arts collection captures the revival of Murano's legendary glassmaking traditions during a time when Venice's artisans catered to international tastes, including American tourists seeking luxurious souvenirs. The vase's trumpetlike form elegantly evokes the glassblower's skill: molten glass extended by breath into a fluted cone, then adorned with a trio of meticulously crafted dol...