Plate 1774 - 1809

Curator: Let's discuss this silver plate, made by Gershom Jones sometime between 1774 and 1809. It’s part of the collection here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: My first impression is its subdued elegance. There's a stark beauty in its simplicity, and the light seems to cling to its form, despite its surface markings. Curator: Indeed, the very plainness can be striking. Circular forms have always signified unity and wholeness, and a plate in its essence is a holder of sustenance. I wonder about the associations evoked when eating from a plate of solid silver? It's almost sacramental, isn't it? Editor: Sacramental, maybe, but let’s think about the physical experience. Silver has that immediate, tangible coolness and heft, linking it to wealth and status. I'm wondering about the labour involved here too, from the mines that yielded the raw materials to the silversmith's workshop where the form was hammered, polished, perhaps engraved with personal crests… That tangible link to skilled human effort is profound. Curator: Good points. Eating implements accrue an extra layer of meaning through everyday rituals – they are potent symbols of social standing. It served food but also declared social values in use, daily, perhaps as silent status symbols during a family's private repast or lavish gatherings. Editor: Precisely! Silverware tells such an interesting story about material culture. Where did the silver come from? What kind of labour secured it? And ultimately, how did a family display and consume that wealth through a utilitarian object? Curator: Thinking of that human element you mention—the artistry and labor, its journey through dining events both private and public, one begins to see the deep cultural symbolism layered into even this simplest object. The circular form as much more than pure geometry but instead resonating with life and the continuation of customs through dining together. Editor: Absolutely, the plate prompts reflections on both material existence and how individuals have constructed worlds around even their meals. It's satisfying when we glimpse something more profound within these commonplace things, right? Curator: Quite. It helps to consider how art and life intersect in expected ways. Editor: Indeed. It seems this unassuming metal object holds quite a lot for our reflection!