Pair of candlesticks 1771 - 1783

These silver candlesticks, crafted by Tudor and Leader, offer a glimpse into the aesthetic and social values of their time. Though their specific date is unknown, the neoclassical style suggests a period when European societies, and the American colonies, looked to ancient Greece and Rome for ideals of beauty, order, and governance. However, this 'return' conveniently sidestepped the messy truths of those histories: the reliance on slavery, and the exclusion of women from the political sphere. In a similar way, the candlesticks themselves reflect a selective kind of simplicity. Made for wealthy households, they symbolize the refined taste and status of their owners, while obscuring the labor and resources required to produce them. Such objects were integral to constructing a visual language of power and respectability. Reflect for a moment on how these objects, designed to hold light, also cast long shadows on the realities of their time.