Chimneypiece (cheminée) 1784

Curator: Looking at this elaborate "Chimneypiece," made around 1784 by François Joseph Belanger, currently held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, what’s your immediate impression? Editor: Wow, it’s…intense! A very baroque vibe but with an attempt at some neoclassical order, almost like it's shouting, "Look how rich I am!" all while whispering, "But I also have *taste*." Does that make any sense? Curator: Absolutely. We see that tension of excess attempting to adhere to neoclassical principles, which becomes very apparent in this piece. It's a bold declaration of status. Think about the societal context: the aristocracy on the cusp of revolution trying to hold on to these visual symbols of power. The marble, the gold leaf—it’s all deliberate. Editor: I guess, looking at it closer, there’s something performative about it. The feminine sculptures acting as architectural support are a bold, possibly misogynistic statement on gender. All that precious stuff kind of weighing them down, and us down too. It makes me a bit uneasy. Curator: I share your reading. By objectifying the female form, the sculptures at once beautify and demean. Decorative arts like this can expose social attitudes of the period, like the way in which female bodies were perceived and treated. Editor: You know, when I look at the relief carving of the gentleman above, with his foofy wig and profile, I just can't help but see that kind of denial of the impending shift of revolution reflected on his stone cold face, if that makes sense? Like his money is somehow going to shield him. Curator: I think your intuition is right on point! There's a real sense of fragility here, that opulence used as a bulwark. But, this is still a piece made to be impressive, one with considerable artistry, so it would be an injustice if its technical accomplishment and historical reflection are left unacknowledged. Editor: So, beauty, loaded history, and maybe a cautionary tale. Who knew a fireplace could be such a powder keg of ideas!