Serving Dish c. 1910

Curator: Here we have Josef Riedl's serving dish. It's about seven inches tall and almost nine inches wide. Editor: It's a whimsical little thing, isn't it? Looks like a cherub struggling to hold up a giant plate of goodies. Curator: Exactly! The figure supporting the dish is a bacchante, a follower of Bacchus, the god of wine and ecstasy. See how he is adorned with grapes and leaves? Editor: Oh yes, the vines! It's like the abundance of nature is literally weighing him down. What could this symbolize? Is he overwhelmed by worldly pleasures? Curator: Perhaps. Bacchantes were associated with ritual madness and intoxication, so the image could be a commentary on excess, or a celebration of life's bounty. Editor: It’s funny how such a small object can spark such big ideas. I'll certainly think about the symbolism of pleasure next time I load it with cakes. Curator: Indeed, Riedl invites us to savor not just the food, but the deeper meanings it might carry.