Miniature teapot with cover 1685 - 1715

Editor: Here we have a miniature teapot with a cover, crafted from silver, dating back to somewhere between 1685 and 1715. It resides here at the Met. It’s so tiny! What statements about society at the time do you think it makes? Curator: Its Baroque style reminds me that the objects we choose to surround ourselves with speak volumes. This isn’t just a teapot; it's a reflection of status, of global trade networks built on exploitation. Consider the role of silver during this era – its sourcing, the labor involved. This miniature challenges us to examine the economics of beauty. Do you think it embodies status, or the spoils of colonialisation? Editor: I hadn’t really thought about that side of it; I was just marveling at the craftsmanship. The details seem incredible, but thinking about the era differently, there is this darkness that looms in the background. So you believe this would've only been accessible to the elite at the time, despite the raw silver itself having been potentially obtained at the hands of exploitation? Curator: Exactly! Silver, as a commodity, connects back to global power dynamics and even violence. This object’s delicate facade masks the reality of the era's deeply embedded social injustice. That patina that’s built up on its surface speaks to the time it existed in. And think, even miniature objects played a role in how people consumed, displaying wealth at home. Editor: Wow. That really shifts my perspective. Curator: It’s essential to look at even the seemingly most innocuous objects through a lens of socio-economic justice. They offer tangible connections to complex and troubling historical truths. Editor: Thank you for clarifying that. I will definitely try and see these artworks within this frame more often now. Curator: Likewise, this gives me much to consider too about shifting perspectives and how these artefacts have been recontextualised over time.