Box 1739 - 1740

Curator: Before us, we have a gilded box crafted between 1739 and 1740 by Jean Ducrollay. You’ll find it in the decorative arts collection. Editor: My first impression is…intricate! Almost obsessively so. That tight geometric pattern covering every surface is quite something, a grid of golden lines against, is that enamel? Curator: Indeed. It’s a blend of gold and enamel on metal. Boxes like this were luxury items, emblems of status in the 18th century, reflecting the patronage system that supported artisans like Ducrollay. Their purpose extended beyond mere utility; they became social currency. Editor: Right, but think about the making of this. All those tiny cells, filled with precisely colored enamel, and set within the gold framework! This would have been slow, skilled labor, highlighting the economic disparity of the period. A sign of leisure created from, inevitably, exploited time. Curator: Certainly, the court drove production through demand, influencing not only materials and styles—note the emerging Rococo—but the organisation of labor too. Ducrollay enjoyed royal commissions; objects such as this secured his position. The box acts almost as a miniature monument to French aristocracy, really. Editor: And yet, there’s a tension. The rigidity of the geometric grid contrasting with the supposed 'freedom' of Rococo feels quite forced. A desire for control and order, even within ornamentation. Do you think this reveals unease during a period known for royal excess and, increasingly, critique of it? Curator: A compelling point. Luxury goods often embody societal tensions, and the pre-revolutionary era certainly contained its share. But this little gold box served to hide just how revolutionary it would soon become. Editor: Looking at its patterns closely brings forth a broader narrative: from the earth, transformed into wealth for just a few, using unseen hands, and shaped by rigid desires, doesn't it? I find it an unnerving piece. Curator: I appreciate your emphasis on materiality and the circumstances of production—very insightful, in its turn. It prompts me to consider the evolving tastes of a privileged class unaware of the fragility of its gilded existence, really!