Mantle clock with two candelabra c. 1900

Curator: At first glance, it appears almost fortress-like, with a peculiar geometric simplicity that still manages to feel… grand. Editor: Indeed. What we are looking at is a mantle clock with two candelabra, dating from around 1900, currently residing here at the Rijksmuseum. It's attributed to Hendrik Petrus Berlage, and primarily made from brass and metal. Curator: The studded design! Almost brutally utilitarian. It strikes me as very self-aware in its embrace of industrial aesthetics even for a decorative object. It pushes against the excessive ornamentation common during that era. Was Berlage interested in bridging craft production and industrial manufacture? Editor: Absolutely. Berlage was a key figure in the Arts and Crafts movement in the Netherlands. He aimed to integrate architecture, applied arts and social reform. The visible construction, the choice of brass, everything emphasizes functionality and honest materials rather than hiding them beneath layers of superficial ornament. Curator: I also wonder about the labour involved in constructing it. These metal pieces, so precisely fitted together… it seems to value meticulous handcraft within an increasingly industrializing world. And the candelabra – they imply domesticity, the hearth, which then is elevated and celebrated. Editor: That’s an important point. These pieces, crafted during the late 19th/early 20th century, appeared as the middle class acquired objects that conveyed both status and refined sensibilities, defining aspirations during an era of profound social change. Curator: Considering its place in history, this mantle clock prompts reflection about consumer culture and social progress. It reflects this unique push and pull of technology. The romantic notions associated with handcrafted techniques become entwined with an industrialized vision, offering commentary through everyday objects. Editor: Ultimately, the mantle clock shows us how much a seemingly straightforward item can embody layered connections between artistic ideals, historical context and evolving socio-economic conditions of production.