Ewer and basin (lavabo set) 1675 - 1690

Editor: Okay, next up, we have an ornate ewer and basin set, or a “lavabo set” as it’s called here. It was crafted from silver sometime between 1675 and 1690, and is credited to the Chisinau Court Workshop. I’m immediately struck by its almost overwhelming detail... I mean, everywhere you look there's more and more texture and embellishment. What do you make of this, what stories do you see hiding in its curves and carvings? Curator: You know, I find myself getting utterly lost in the Baroque extravagance, don’t you? It’s almost aggressively decorative, as if someone said, "How much ornamentation is too much? The limit does not exist!". But perhaps, what really resonates, at least for me, is the suggestion of ritual. This wasn't just about washing your hands, it was an act imbued with ceremony. I think objects like this remind us that the mundane, even hygiene, was once capable of sparking imagination, don't you? Editor: Definitely. And the level of craftsmanship is incredible. It's easy to forget the time and skill it would take to create something like this. I wonder, does the ornamentation actually distract from the functionality of the set, or does it enhance it in some way? Curator: Ah, now that's the golden question! Are we simply blinded by beauty or does this exuberant ornamentation elevate the act of cleansing? Maybe this kind of artistry served a deeper psychological function. Imagine washing your hands with that! It is less function and more…performance. How does this almost ‘theatrical’ use change your mind? Editor: It definitely adds a new perspective. Seeing it as a performance, rather than purely functional, helps make sense of all the detail. Curator: Exactly! These objects, for me, they speak of worlds where even the simplest tasks were infused with a kind of magic. Perhaps we could stand to reclaim some of that magic, don’t you think? Editor: I completely agree. I will never look at a sink the same way again!