Chamber candlestick 1710 - 1711

Augustin Courtauld made this chamber candlestick out of silver, likely sometime in the first half of the 18th century. Silver, of course, is highly reflective, lending this object a luminous presence. But that gleaming surface is only achieved through considerable labor. Consider how this piece was made: the silver would have been mined, smelted, and refined – all arduous work. Courtauld, as a silversmith, would have further transformed the material, hammering and shaping it, soldering the various components together, and then polishing the surface to a mirror finish. All of these processes required skill, time, and specialized tools. The candlestick's form is not purely functional; it also speaks to social status. Silver was a luxury material, and owning such an object would have signaled wealth and refinement. Even something as simple as a candlestick could be a potent symbol of social class. By attending to the making of this object, we can appreciate not only its beauty but also the complex social and economic forces that shaped its creation.