Sugar box with cover 1715 - 1740

Curator: At first glance, it's delicate but imposing. The detailed figures give it an old-world elegance. What's the story? Editor: We're looking at a sugar box with a cover crafted by the Meissen Manufactory between 1715 and 1740. It's currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. These delicate sculptures were primarily made from porcelain and exemplify the decorative art style of the era, namely, rococo. Curator: Rococo indeed! Look at that scalloped edge, the intricate swirling motifs. What really catches my eye is the grayscale figuration—it is reminiscent of grisaille painting—particularly on the cover where two figures appear engaged in what I want to believe is illicit courtship. Do we know anything about who or what inspired this figuration? Editor: That's a fantastic observation. The grisaille technique evokes classical sculpture, linking refined table setting rituals of the eighteenth century with elite aspirations. During the early eighteenth century, Augustus the Strong held a trade monopoly for Meissen production, making sugar boxes such as this, emblems of royal power, symbols of good taste. Curator: Good taste indeed—to my contemporary eyes, the composition creates a quiet drama, a subtle, almost secretive quality to something that would otherwise have been shown off on display. The grayness adds depth, mystery. Is it meant to evoke candlelight, maybe? Editor: Precisely. The imagery also references stock imagery of courtly love, made explicit through their delicate interactions set among the manicured groves of their grand estate. To own it would signal one's belonging within the social echelons of European power, both material and aesthetic. Curator: So more than just sweetness inside; this whispers sweetness to the world outside, a clever, coded way to demonstrate power, status... quite different than posting pictures of sugar on Instagram these days. Editor: Exactly, though one can read those contemporary Instagram pictures as latter day expressions of that symbolic sugar rush... Any final impressions? Curator: Only that this piece feels timeless and fresh despite its obvious historical weight. Perhaps because it seems to murmur rather than shout, promising clandestine delights. Editor: Well said, a truly evocative note on which to leave our listeners.