Panelen met rookvat 1772 - 1779

Curator: This is Jean Pelletier’s “Panelen met rookvat,” or “Panels with a Censer,” dating from 1772 to 1779, rendered in drawing, engraving, ink, and paper. It’s currently held at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: The cool precision of line and shape definitely marks this as Neoclassical, and the symmetry gives a sense of measured restraint. What does this image tell us about the role of design in that period? Curator: Exactly! And notice the controlled application of ornament; the draped garlands and stylized vessel suggest a reverence for classical antiquity, but also, consider the social function. These designs weren't just about aesthetics. Neoclassicism in decorative arts coincided with significant social and political upheaval, particularly in France. Editor: How so? Curator: Well, how might visual vocabularies function within systems of power? Think of the elite’s relationship with design, or even, who has access to which resources at that time? Editor: So, the aspiration toward an idealised past could represent the desire to express values or a hierarchy. The order and symmetry mirror the desire for an ideal state? Curator: Precisely. The rise of Neoclassicism coincided with burgeoning dissatisfaction with the aristocracy, where design started functioning as a signifier. In the decorative arts, simplification and references to republican Rome might, therefore, carry a subversive charge. Editor: I hadn’t thought about the political message. Thanks for showing me how to unpack this image beyond just its surface design. Curator: Absolutely. Considering design as an indicator helps us think critically about power and the messages embedded within artistic styles.