Zwaan van veelkleurig beschilderd porselein, in montuur van brons c. 1748 - 1750

This swan, crafted from painted porcelain and mounted in bronze, presents an intriguing interplay of form and material. The smooth, cool porcelain of the swan contrasts sharply with the ornate, gilded bronze that encases it. The swan itself is rendered with a delicate realism, its form softened, almost melting, into the rigid metalwork of the candelabra. Bronze tendrils reach and flow around the swan, interspersing with delicate porcelain flowers. The composition embraces a baroque sensibility, where the lines between nature and artifice blur. This piece destabilizes the traditional hierarchy between the natural world and the art object, inviting us to question the boundaries of artistic representation. The bronze fixture, with its robust and imposing presence, supports the fragile swan, creating a tension between support and confinement. This tension can be viewed as a semiotic system of signs where metal and fauna coexist in an elaborate dance. The effect is both elegant and unsettling, a testament to the power of form to challenge and redefine our understanding of beauty and value.