Candlestick 1837 - 1860

Curator: Here we have a pair of candlesticks fashioned by Rufus Dunham, dating roughly from 1837 to 1860. The metalwork shows incredible craftsmanship. Editor: They strike me as quite austere. The simple, rounded forms and somber metal certainly aren't flamboyant. Functional and quietly elegant. Curator: Indeed. These pieces, now residing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, represent more than mere utility. Candles, of course, signify illumination—spiritually, intellectually, even domestically. They bring light into darkness, a concept resonating across many cultures and eras. Editor: Absolutely. Beyond the straightforward symbolism, there's the political implication too. By the mid-19th century, how does owning something like this reflect on social status? Candlelight was being supplanted by gaslight in wealthier urban homes. Would owning such a set speak to middle-class aspirations or perhaps signal clinging to older, "authentic" values? Curator: A fascinating question! Metalwork like this evokes cultural memory—how everyday objects carry associations across generations. It's interesting to consider the shift away from candlelight and its perceived "authenticity," marking a move toward modernity and industrialization. But consider too that metal itself—even aged like this—evokes permanence and value. Editor: And the symmetry! Pairs of objects speak of ceremony, balance. How would such candlesticks have shaped domestic rituals or religious practice at the time? Arranging them suggests order, harmony. Curator: Precisely. Objects such as this remind us how physical forms—whether in grand paintings or functional objects—embody complex layers of meaning and history. It encourages to see how a single artwork can bring cultural heritage alive for contemporary audiences. Editor: These unassuming candlesticks offer an opportunity to rethink about how even utilitarian art, like architecture, helps define and shift a community's habits and values.