Perfume Vessel
Artist
William Carlson
(American, born 1950)
CultureAmerican
Date1990
MediumCut, laminated, and polished black granite, Vitrolite (industrial colored glass), window glass, and cast glass
Dimensions8 1/2 × 12 × 4 in. (21.6 × 30.5 × 10.2 cm)
SignedThe artist’s signature and date are incised on the underside, in cursive script: William Carlson 1990 ©.
Credit LineGift of Gwen and Jerome A. Paulson
Object number2021.12.1
Not on view
DescriptionThe Perfume Vessel by William Carlson is a complex assemblage composed of cut, laminated, and polished materials that include mottled black granite; opaque white and slate-blue Vitrolite (historic industrial glass); orange and purple translucent window glass; and cast colorless glass. The vessel itself is quite large and heavy and it has an inverted triangular shape that flattens at the base. There is a cylindrical-shaped stopper that perches lengthwise and offcenter on the top of the vessel, made from white Vitrolite sandwiched between two pieces of granite. When the stopper is removed, it reveals a drilled tube running down into the core of the black marble. The various glasses are cut and assembled into sheets and glued together, forming about eight stripes that refract and reflect in the colorless glass. The triangle form of the sculpture has beveled sides that help the refraction of the colors and lines.ProvenanceMichael and Annie Belkin Collection to Habatat Gallery to GJerome and Gwen Paulson to CMA.
