Sleeve Button 1737 - 1740

Curator: Here we have a sleeve button dating from between 1737 and 1740. Editor: It looks like a miniature time capsule! The engraved floral motifs have a somewhat romantic and very decorative allure to my eyes. Curator: Indeed. This particular piece, now housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, showcases Baroque style through the elegance of decorative arts. The material, silver, is very carefully worked. Editor: Thinking about that labor – the process of taking silver, such a workable material, and transforming it. Sleeve buttons like these speak of craft specialization of the period and also highlight a new kind of demand for luxury personal goods, that is very revealing about the fashion trends of the early 18th century. Curator: The eight-sided shape surrounding the central floral design reminds me of heraldic emblems. There’s a structured beauty in these kinds of artifacts. Flowers also carry many layers of symbolic association – depending on the type, they can indicate love, memory, or status. Editor: Agreed! There's also a compelling tension between the naturalistic floral engravings and the manufactured geometric form, a clear marker of design decisions and consumer aspirations. Curator: Definitely. A simple object such as a sleeve button reveals intricate layers of social meaning and artistic execution from this particular time and place. Editor: Thinking about the artist or artisan behind this also gives the piece a fresh outlook in its creative origins in shaping culture and consumption!