Sauceboat 1759 - 1760

Curator: Alexander Johnston's "Sauceboat," crafted between 1759 and 1760, immediately strikes one with its fluid, organic form, doesn't it? Editor: It does, it has the lightness of a dream! Look how the silver almost seems to pour itself into this elegant shape, like quicksilver solidifying. Curator: Absolutely. We're looking at a quintessential example of Rococo style here, in metal of all things. Notice how Johnston, working with this malleable material, celebrates opulence. It must have been quite the centerpiece for some wealthy table setting. Editor: Thinking about who handled this piece... their lives, their dinners. Each thumbprint ghosted onto its surface as it went around the table laden with savory sauce. It really brings the past to life in a surprising way. Did those silversmiths see it this way, though? Or were they more focused on their craft and the satisfaction of the work itself? Curator: Most likely both, actually. Craftsmanship, of course, but also Johnston would certainly have been conscious of his patrons' desires for showy displays of wealth and good taste. Note how the chasing work creates a sense of naturalism. Those leafy feet almost give it a sense of movement, as if it could crawl off the table. Editor: There's such intentional beauty, like they wanted even gravy to look divine! It really makes you wonder what future generations will find in our everyday objects, and what stories those objects will whisper of our time. Curator: Exactly. Thinking about the economic forces, and the labor involved to bring it from raw ore to gleaming form for an elite table provides an entirely new and vital angle for viewing these precious decorative pieces. It shifts focus onto production methods. Editor: Yes, the artist has truly translated social meanings of wealth in such creative decorative form. Food for thought in addition to actual food for… the sauceboat!