Silver Creamer c. 1936

Arsen Maralian, born in 1855, created this drawing of a silver creamer. The piece reflects the intersection of art, design, and social class during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Creamers, like this one, were functional objects elevated to symbols of wealth and status. The drawing itself, with its precise lines and attention to detail, speaks to the values placed on craftsmanship and refinement in the decorative arts. Made in an era defined by industrialization and urbanization, objects like these, and their representation, harked back to older ideas about craft production. Consider the social rituals surrounding tea or coffee consumption, where such creamers would have been prominently displayed, reinforcing social hierarchies. The art historian seeks to understand these social dynamics, researching period etiquette manuals, domestic inventories, and trade records. Only then can we decode the meaning embedded in this seemingly simple silver creamer.