Kraantjeskan 1756

Nicolaas van Diemen, a silversmith, crafted this ‘Kraantjeskan’ or hot water urn from silver, likely sometime in the 18th century. The urn’s opulence announces itself through the gleam of the silver, hand-worked and shaped into its elegant form. Consider the processes involved: the raising of the vessel from a flat sheet, the delicate chasing that articulates its surface, and the casting of its components. These are all highly skilled traditions, demanding years of experience to master. Notice the ebony handle, adding a touch of luxury and a cool, comfortable grip. These urns were status symbols, emblems of wealth and sophistication, used within the domestic sphere. Silver’s value made it a natural store of capital, and the decoration speaks to an aspirational lifestyle. It reflects the Dutch Republic’s mercantile success, as well as its reliance on enslaved labor. Looking at this object, we are invited to consider the myriad hands that contributed to its making, and its significance as an expression of social hierarchy.