Baptismal Bowl 1795 - 1816

This Baptismal Bowl was crafted by Samuel Danforth around the late 18th or early 19th century. Its unadorned pewter surface and symmetrical form create a study in simplicity. The bowl's design features gentle curves, horizontal bands, and a subtle, stepped base. Danforth's bowl can be seen as a manifestation of structuralist principles. It seeks a universal and underlying form, in this case, the purity of a circle and sphere, reduced to its most essential components. The bowl serves its purpose directly without superfluous details, in line with functionalist ideas, while also symbolizing ritual cleanliness through its form. The use of pewter, a common material, democratizes the spiritual experience. Ultimately, this baptismal bowl embodies a quest for essential form, and invites ongoing interpretation as its design speaks to the relationship between utility, purity, and the communal rituals it enables.