Mustard pot 1753

This elegant mustard pot was made in France by Pierre-Louis Du Floo, sometime in the 18th century, out of solid silver. Silver’s high sheen makes it a material of luxury, but the metal’s softness also allows for incredible detail. Notice the fine beaded rim, the cast handle, and the chased decoration around the base. All of these details would have required a skilled silversmith, trained in the traditions of metalworking. The making of an object like this involved a complex division of labor. While Du Floo may have been the master craftsman, many other hands would have been involved in the mining, smelting, and refining of the silver itself. This reminds us that even the most refined objects are rooted in the world of labor and industry. By attending to these conditions of production, we can understand this mustard pot not just as a beautiful object, but as a material embodiment of social and economic forces.