Photograph by Ed Pollard, Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital slr-2015.

Images(2)

Photograph by Ed Pollard, Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital slr-2010.

Epergne

Manufacturer Unknown

CultureEnglish

MediumMold-blown, applied, and tooled glass; metal mounts

DimensionsOverall: 15 3/4 in. (40 cm)

Credit LineGift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr.

Object number71.4290

On View

Chrysler Museum of Art, Gallery 116-5, Case 34

DescriptionEpergne of blown opaque yellow glass. Triangularly fluted and crimped dome dish. Base with narrow clear rim. From its center rise four round mold blown hobnail yellow opaque "blossoms", 3-8 inches high bending outward and one center one 12.5 inches high. Each from clear thorn-type stems with clear leaves around each blossom. Held to the dish by four metal cups lined with cork.

Label TextCENTERPIECES FOR THE VICTORIAN TABLE Demand for floral vessels increased greatly in the nineteenth century. In the 1820s, the Prince Regent, George IV (1762-1830), set the fashion for displaying freshly cut flowers in silver and glass centerpieces on the dining table. The practice gradually trickled down from the royal table into middle-class homes. Importation of exotic species of flowers from the expanding British Empire created new markets at home. The rise of greenhouses and conservatories, constructed with new glass window technology, also improved accessibility to fresh flowers. Glassmakers recognized increasing demand and catered to floral-crazed Victorian hostesses. Glass epergnes ranged from simple vases to elaborately ornamented forms made to hold flowers, candies, and fruits. A new language of flowers developed to convey unspoken messages. Books devoted exclusively to flower arranging became popular. By the end of the nineteenth century, owning the proper floral vase to display certain flowers became part of a larger social code in which objects conveyed the status, wealth, and impeccable taste of their owners. English Epergne with Flower Stand, ca. 1890 Mold-blown, applied, and tooled glass; metal mounts Gift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr. 71.4290 Exhibition History"Cheers to Queen Victoria: British Glass from the Chrysler Collection," Waitzer Community Gallery, Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA, September 22, 2010 - March 20, 2011.