Sculpture, "Un Parfait (Darkside Collection)". Opaque black glass; blown, colorless plexi, black and red fabric. Long rectangular, fabric-covered pedestal with inset locations for 6 black goblets. One end section of the pedestal is red, the rest is black. A rectangular plexi cover sits over the goblets on the pedestal.

The internationally recognized designer Philippe Starck used the traditional Baccarat “Harcourt” goblet in this poetic interpretation of table ware. The boxed set consists of six lead glass goblets, which Starck had made in opaque black glass. Five of the goblets have minor imperfections, and one, which is posed on red silk, is perfect (un parfait). The quest for the perfect goblet is one that resonates with glassmakers, and Starck’s use of black glass, with its obsidian-like gleam, negates the qualities of purity and transparency that are usually associated with Baccarat crystal. The set is inscribed with a quotation from the French visionary poet and filmmaker Jean Cocteau (1889–1963): “à l’impossible je suis tenu” (I am obliged to do the impossible).