Chatelaine 1825 - 1835

Curator: Immediately, I am struck by its cool austerity. The smooth, polished surface almost seems untouched by human hands despite the flourishes on its upper register. Editor: Indeed. Here we have a silver Chatelaine, created sometime between 1825 and 1835. This one can be found at the Art Institute of Chicago, an example of Romantic era decorative arts at the service of aristocratic European life. Curator: Romantic indeed, the shape has an intriguing asymmetry with a kind of drooping elegance. Can you tell us a bit more about the piece? Editor: Well, a chatelaine was a decorative belt hook or clasp worn at the waist with a series of chains suspended from it. These chains then held useful household items like keys, scissors, thimbles, watches, and seals. Function and high fashion were integrated into one shiny piece. Curator: Function and high fashion absolutely describes it. The composition, you know, is interesting in how the solid and rather unadorned bottom balances the delicate filigree decorating the upper section where the initials are also engraved. The polished reflective finish is incredibly satisfying. Editor: Absolutely, and consider the semiotics. These objects signal social status and domestic authority in the 19th century. Wearing such an item broadcast the wearer's control over the household and her place in the socio-economic hierarchy. And given this era of romanticism, each piece could speak to the sensibilities of the wearer, declaring individuality in the face of social convention. Curator: And it shows you how functional and everyday things can become highly coded symbols. It elevates the mundane. The artistry gives utilitarian items symbolic meaning within that social hierarchy. Editor: Looking closely, I find its clean lines beautiful even beyond that initial social context, and its smooth surfaces beckon you to reach out and touch it despite that cold feeling. It holds a tactile promise. Curator: I find myself reevaluating my first austere impression. The piece becomes warmer as the stories are layered onto it. Editor: Yes, objects, like art, are so rarely what they initially appear to be. This Chatelaine's quiet gleam holds an unexpectedly layered complexity.