Design for a Sconce 18th century

Curator: Good morning. Here we have a fascinating piece, "Design for a Sconce," an 18th-century drawing, likely intended for metalwork. You can find it here at The Met. Editor: The immediate impression is quite ornate! The swirling forms evoke a sense of theatrical elegance, almost a dance frozen in metal. What significance might these baroque flourishes hold? Curator: In that era, the swirling foliage held potent symbolic meaning—they echoed natural forms but also, when displayed in aristocratic houses, advertised refined taste and a sophisticated control of nature itself. The candle itself represents knowledge and illumination dispelling ignorance. Editor: I see it in terms of social aspiration—the rising merchant class wanted to display status, emulating courtly style in the face of older establishments, almost democratizing extravagance through design. How much was individual artistic freedom valued then? Or were artisans more bound by patron tastes? Curator: Artistic license certainly existed, though heavily guided by client wishes. Think of it less as personal expression and more as skilled interpretation of symbolic systems for wealthy patrons. Every curve and flourish spoke volumes within that societal context. Editor: So, this wasn’t merely decorative; it broadcast a complex cultural narrative about wealth, intellect, and societal power. Its visual language aimed at establishing an elite's authority through symbolism understood by contemporaries. Curator: Exactly, each curve carries the echoes of conversations about status, power and, more profoundly, light against darkness. A conversation this artwork still encourages today. Editor: Makes me ponder what kind of modern day symbolism we place in objects within our homes. Thanks, this shed new light, no pun intended, on that piece for me.