Glass is like water

Of the great world exhibitions, the one in 1889 has gone down in the collective memory. Its most spectacular exhibit, the Eiffel Tower, has since become a symbol of Paris, but also of the "Belle Époque".

Emile Gallé was awarded a Grand Prix for his glass art; our carp vase was also one of the exhibits.
Nature, and the world of water in particular, inspired Gallé time and again. On closer inspection, the outline of a fish can be seen in the seemingly shapeless streaks of glass.
With its departure from traditional techniques, decorations and forms, this vase is an object that can be placed at the beginning of Art Nouveau - even if these terms were not coined until years later.