Kandelaar 1803

Editor: Here we have a candlestick, or "Kandelaar" as it’s known in Dutch, crafted in 1803 by Francois Marcus Simons. The elegant piece is silver, of course, and screams classicism. It gives off such a formal vibe... like it belongs in a stately manor, don't you think? What strikes you most when you look at this, its form, the Neoclassical features perhaps? Curator: Formal, yes, but to me, there's also a quirky side to its rigidity. I think it would actually feel quite at home amidst mismatched pottery, say, or with a brightly colored patterned wallpaper. The sheen of the silver begs to be paired with texture. As for the Neoclassical aspect: the symmetry, the leaf motifs – they're a bit like a theatre set, a kind of backdrop to the candle itself, which really takes the stage, right? But I see more than formality here. There's a strange theatricality. Do you get a sense of that playfulness? Editor: That's an interesting take. Playfulness wasn't the first thing that sprang to my mind, but now I see it. Like it’s putting on airs. Curator: Exactly! It’s whispering secrets behind a powdered wig! Which really gets me thinking about the time, the early 19th century… What stories this little Kandelaar could tell, eh? Did it see stolen glances, under candlelight, the plotting of secret affairs, who knows? Editor: Now I'm imagining it in a gothic novel. So, in just a few minutes, I've totally flipped. Thanks to your perspective! Curator: That's the beauty of looking at art, right? It’s not static. It can be reimagined at every single moment.