Screen fender c. 1800

Editor: So, this is an object from around 1800 called "Screen Fender" and it is currently at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It's an anonymous piece, mostly metal and bronze, and seems to be decorative. It almost seems like a miniature fence, doesn’t it? I'm struck by how utilitarian and ornamental it seems at the same time. How would you describe it? Curator: As a materialist, I see the "Screen Fender" as a fascinating example of the blurring lines between craft, labor, and the decorative arts. Think about the social context: what kind of resources and skill were needed to create something like this in the 1800s? This isn't mass produced; this is an example of detailed work from an artisan. Editor: So you're looking at the labor that went into its production? Curator: Exactly! Consider the source and refining of the metals, the forging, the joining techniques to create that wave-like pattern... this was all labor! And why did this sort of artisanal metal work become associated with wealth and high status? Editor: It makes you think about the social hierarchy inherent in access to craftsmanship. Was this sort of screen fender commonplace, or a signifier of something? Curator: I see it as something of a status symbol, the decorative adding value beyond the strictly utilitarian, so it could only be afforded by the wealthy who needed to keep the sparks away from the rugs in the home. That sort of manual work involved must have had some perceived worth beyond what we might give it today. And we haven't even considered the consumption that's wrapped up in something like a coal fire at all! Editor: So it reflects access, labor, consumption, all tied into one ornamental object. I see what you mean. Curator: Precisely. And hopefully, it gives you food for thought about other seemingly innocuous works!