Blaker in de vorm van een blad met geschulpte kaarsenhouder veelkleurig beschilderd met strooibloemen 1777 - 1790

Curator: Here we have a porcelain candlestick, crafted between 1777 and 1790 by the Porseleinfabriek Den Haag. It's titled, rather descriptively, "Blaker in de vorm van een blad met geschulpte kaarsenhouder veelkleurig beschilderd met strooibloemen"—or, in English, "Sconce in the Shape of a Leaf with a Scalloped Candlestick Holder, Polychrome Painted with Scattered Flowers." Editor: It looks delicate. Ethereal almost, like something a fairy would use. Does it make you think of twilight picnics and secret gardens? Curator: The piece exemplifies Rococo sensibilities with its emphasis on ornamentation and natural forms. Note the leaf-shaped base, the scrolling handle, and of course the scattered floral motifs, what do you think about the zigzag on the cylindrical component? Editor: It's a sweet detail. Makes it seem modern, in a way. So much about this form echoes nature. Like someone trying to bring the outside, in. There’s something comforting, almost cozy, in that intention. Curator: It is interesting how the design reflects nature as a form and the addition of "strooibloemen", like a natural setting where nature is abundant and allowed to bloom. Editor: I keep imagining candlelight flickering, casting shadows on the flowers, almost bringing them to life. What do you think the maker envisioned, when the added these touches? Was there ever really an occasion, you think? Curator: Possibly something of celebration in domestic scenes. Consider how light functions within it and how the placement in these moments affects what can be extracted from this "leaf." Editor: Hmm. Perhaps it illuminated stories whispered in the dark? Curator: Possibly—light and structure function in concert to create meaning here. Editor: Well, its given me a nice daydream for a rainy afternoon at the very least, all cozy with candlelight, with stories being passed down like an echo through time.