Maker unknown (Chinese), Deep Flaring Bowl on Wooden Stand, 19th century, purple glass; blown, carved; carved wood. Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York, Gift of Mr. Howard C. Hollis. 64.6.2

For thousands of years, glassmakers have combined sand, chemicals, minerals, heat, and air to create functional and decorative objects. Drawn from the vast collection of the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York, Fragile Beauty explores how makers from across time and around the globe have taken inspiration from the natural world to create dazzling works of art. These objects range in date from antiquity to the present and show a remarkable breadth of color, technique, form, design, and function. Some of these luxurious objects were made for practical use, such as drinking glasses, vases, and pitchers. Others are purely decorative, from a life-size lemon to a giant flower. Together they suggest the range of creative expression glass artists have achieved.

Fragile Beauty: Treasures from the Corning Museum of Glass is on view in the Michael Conforti Pavilion in the Clark Center.