Miniature candlestick 1719 - 1720

Curator: Well, hello there. Take a gander at this object, a silver "Miniature Candlestick" dating back to 1719 or 1720, currently residing at the Met. The sculpture whispers tales of the Baroque period. What do you make of it? Editor: It's…austere. The silver, despite its potential for opulence, feels quite reserved. Its size hints at intimacy. A personal altar, perhaps? Curator: An intimate moment with the divine or simply lighting the way during a dark winter evening, who knows! Being silver, you know it was an upper class artifact during its era. The candlestick feels sturdy, reliable. Look at those curves! Quintessential Baroque. A playful dance between light and shadow. Editor: Baroque aesthetics are often deployed to communicate power and privilege. I wonder, does the miniature size serve to domesticate that power? To bring it into the home, claiming a spiritual connection separate from public religion? Curator: Or perhaps it's a traveling candlestick, easy to pack for a journey to… I don't know, to meet your lover during nightfall in a gothic castle? These functional objects become charged with symbolic weight. How else do we hold onto these moments of connection except through the ritual, lit by the flickering flame of a simple candle. Editor: Yes, exactly, we give them meaning. And speaking of journeys, whose journey was illuminated by this tiny beacon? Who were the makers, the owners? Was the labor that produced it exploited, like so many decorative objects of the time? Silver and other commodities are imbricated with colonialism and systems of power... Curator: Well that escalated quickly. Perhaps. And you know, maybe focusing on the potential darkness isn't a bad thing when reflecting on history. But right now, looking at this elegant shape I find something strangely optimistic within such simplicity. What a pleasure. Editor: I concur. A quiet beacon it may have been, whispering tales into the darkness and speaking about privilege and colonial times with light and shadow. Thanks for walking through this journey with me. Curator: You are most welcome, a pleasure as always.