Skewer 1760 - 1761

This silver skewer, crafted by Samuel Herbert, presents a seemingly simple form, yet its symbols resonate deeply within the currents of history. Note the shell motif adorning its handle. In antiquity, the shell was the emblem of Venus, goddess of love and beauty, born from the sea. Consider Botticelli's Venus, similarly emerging from a scallop shell, a motif that transcends its classical origins. The shell, as a symbol of pilgrimage, adorns the Apostle James, or even Santiago de Compostela. The skewer's sharp point cannot be overlooked. The pointed object has forever been a symbol of phallic power and the life force. One is reminded of the spears of ancient warriors, or the thorns of the Passion. The form and function of the skewer intertwine; a tool for both nourishment and, with its pointed tip, subtle assertion. Its presence speaks to the human experience of the world in all its beauty and terror.