Crystal bottle, Cristallerie Saint-Louis, First Empire

📜 Description
Elegant crystal bottle associated with the production of the Saint-Louis glassworks during the French Empire period, characterized by refined proportions and a composition of clear formal restraint. The body develops with a balanced vertical profile, featuring a softly rounded shoulder and a well-defined neck, leading to a regular opening.

The surface is worked through cutting and engraving, displaying a restrained and orderly decorative scheme, further enhanced by the measured application of gilding in fine gold. The interaction between the clarity of the crystal and the reflective quality of the gilding creates a controlled luminous effect, consistent with early 19th-century neoclassical taste.

In terms of typology, execution and decorative language, the piece belongs to the tradition of high-quality French tableware, where function and ornament are closely integrated within a coherent design approach.

📚 Art Historical Note
In the early 19th century, the Saint-Louis manufacture established a formal language based on balance, precision and technical refinement, closely aligned with the aesthetic principles of the Napoleonic period. The use of cut and engraved crystal, combined with gilded details, reflects a disciplined approach to luxury, privileging material quality and craftsmanship over decorative excess.

Objects such as bottles and table services illustrate the transformation of functional forms into elements of representation, contributing to the broader development of European taste during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

🧾 Technical Sheet
Type: Bottle
Manufacture: Saint-Louis glassworks
Place: France
Period: Empire, early 19th century
Material: Cut and engraved crystal with gilded decoration
Technique: Cutting, engraving and gilding
Decoration: Engraved and gilded ornamental motifs
Dimensions: Height 21 cm; maximum diameter 7 cm

🔍 Condition Report
Overall good condition, consistent with age. Minor wear to the gilding, more evident on exposed areas. Light surface marks and signs of use are present; overall clarity and structural integrity remain well preserved.