Candelabrum (one of a pair) 18th century

Editor: So this is a Candelabrum from the 18th century, made at the Derby Porcelain Manufactory. It’s currently at the Met. The overwhelming sense I get is…ornate. There's a figure, a lamb, flowers – all in porcelain. How do you interpret the composition and use of materials here? Curator: Well, let’s look at it materially. The porcelain itself is key. Its creation involved a complex process, high-temperature firing, specialized labor. Derby, like other porcelain manufacturers, was essentially producing luxury items. That glossy, delicate surface was very desirable. Editor: So it’s not just about the aesthetic value, but the social and economic context of the material itself? Curator: Exactly. Think about the labor involved. Each flower, each detail, was painstakingly crafted. We need to consider the lives and skill of the workers. Where were they located, and under what conditions did they produce? Editor: That makes me see it differently. What looks like mere decoration is actually evidence of production. The consumption of these items supported the manufacturers but maybe that’s offset by difficult and exhaustive labour. Curator: Yes, the very act of making it raises so many issues: consumption, labour and material accessibility. Are we celebrating craft, or are we participating in a system that’s inherently unequal? What is the artist hoping to portray in his rococo inspired depiction? Editor: It's a reminder to look beyond the surface and consider the world behind the object, so as to not celebrate something we have overlooked the means to create it. Curator: Indeed, it opens the work to questions of accessibility and value.