Pitcher with handle (part of a set) 1848 - 1849

Editor: Here we have a "Pitcher with handle" – part of a set – crafted from silver around 1848 or '49. It's currently held at the Metropolitan Museum. It looks very austere, almost architecturally minimalist in its form. What’s your perspective? What stories do you think it holds? Curator: Stories... Ah, well, to me it whispers tales of domestic elegance. Think about it, this isn't just any pitcher; it’s silver! This speaks to a certain level of affluence in mid-19th century America. The engraving, the monogram, someone took pride in this vessel. Perhaps it graced a fancy tea table or held water for lemonade on a hot summer day? I wonder who commissioned this and what their life was like. Doesn’t that make you wonder? Editor: Absolutely! I love the image of lemonade on a hot day. The square shape feels like a modern twist on a classical form. Curator: Modern for its time, definitely! While embracing the neoclassicism so popular back then. That blend makes it sing! What about the material, does the cool sheen of the silver evoke any emotion in you? Editor: It feels very formal and reserved, proper even. Maybe even a little cold? Curator: Yes, it has a stoic charm doesn’t it? Like it’s seen some things, some very important luncheons and soirees! You see, that “coldness”, that could be simply the nature of the metal... or perhaps it mirrors the decorum and formality of the era itself. Don't you agree? Editor: That's a great point. It's a really nice way to understand the relationship between the object, the material and the era. Curator: Art is full of conversation if you only care to listen, young padawan. I love hearing the opinions of artists because as experts and curators, we are sometimes wrong about everything! It keeps it fresh, like the next glass of lemonade that pitcher might dispense. Editor: Totally, it definitely helps give things new and needed contexts. Thanks!