Ultimate Gabriel Argy-rousseau “les Palombes” Pâte De Verre Glass Vase Tool [EmespbG4]

In this modernist Art Deco piece by Argy Rousseau, eight white doves in cameo glass gracefully soar among a skyline of skyscrapers. The buildings are depicted in the iconic setback style, a hallmark of Art Deco architecture where structures recede at higher levels, creating a tiered or "wedding cake" effect. This distinctive design emerged in New York City, shaped by the 1916 Zoning Resolution—the first citywide zoning law in the United States. This legislation was a response to public concerns over the looming Equitable Building in Manhattan's Financial District. To preserve light and air at street level, the resolution mandated setbacks for taller buildings. With the rise of skyscrapers, pigeons adapted seamlessly to the urban environment. Escaping from captivity, they found ideal nesting sites in the crevices of towering structures, much like the cliffs their ancestors once inhabited. Argy Rousseau’s vase design encapsulates the interplay of nature and modernity, illustrating a world where humanity has reshaped the environment. Pigeons have been reimagined as doves, symbols of peace and elegance, while the skyline is dominated by the pyramidal crowns of steel and concrete towers, celebrating the triumph of human innovation.