Dorothy bag base 1751 - 1761

Curator: What strikes me first is how remarkably well-preserved this Dorothy bag base is! It dates from 1751 to 1761, placing it firmly in the mid-18th century. The artist was Johann Christoph Eckart, and the materials are silver and textile. Editor: There is something wonderfully tactile about this piece, despite its photographic representation. It whispers of whispered secrets, rouge, and stolen moments; a frivolous age captured in miniature. The Rococo influence feels quite potent. Curator: Indeed. Its origins are likely German. These small bags were extremely popular for carrying coins, small sewing projects, or little mementos. Think of them almost like early versions of today’s clutches. A status symbol, if you will. Editor: Note the silver base! It is intricately decorated. And those ribbons! While tattered now, can you imagine the color they once held? I sense a playful dance between restraint and exuberance. The silver, more permanent and controlled, contrasted against the fleeting beauty of the textile. Curator: Bags of this era offer great insight into sumptuary culture. Who was allowed to possess these items? What social performativity was involved with them? How did their design reflect larger socio-economic factors at play? The textile itself, originally brightly striped I imagine, held just as much if not more, symbolic value for its user as did the metal itself. Editor: Looking closely, I notice stylized animals depicted in relief around the bag's base. Rabbits perhaps? Are they alluding to fecundity? The textile, paired with these motifs, must have signaled something beyond simple practicality to its original owner. I am also quite certain of a coat-of-arms of sorts etched onto the silver as well. Curator: Precisely. These pieces act as vessels carrying layers of significance that speak to societal dynamics within elite circles of that century. So, while a bag might seem like just a simple accessory on the surface, it truly has fascinating stories encoded within it! Editor: This little gem truly embodies an epoch; both frivolous and thought-provoking simultaneously.