Candelabrum (one of a pair) 1760 - 1770

Curator: Oh, my! This is quite something, isn’t it? I'm instantly drawn to its theatrical flair and the absolute exuberance of those colors. Editor: Indeed! We're looking at a porcelain candelabrum, believed to be one of a pair, crafted between 1760 and 1770 by the Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory. You can find it in the decorative arts collection at the Metropolitan Museum. It's a stunning example of Rococo style. Curator: Rococo indeed! It's got that delicious flamboyance – the swirling forms, the lavish gilding, like visual frosting. Tell me, what captures your eye first? Mine are those dinky dogs! Editor: Well, the composition overall strikes me. The figures of the man and woman, along with the dogs, create a central focus. This central element is framed by a verdant floral bower and flanked by the functional candleholders, forming a unified, if elaborate, structure. There’s an interplay between nature and artifice, a characteristic feature of the period. Curator: Nature meets theatre, you could say. It feels so full of life, yet posed, like characters caught mid-scene from some pastoral opera. What do you make of the figurines? Editor: They seem to embody a romantic ideal, wouldn't you agree? Their ornate attire and poised gestures evoke a world of aristocratic leisure, reflective of the elite clientele that these manufactories served. The man, with his rifle, suggests a hunting scene perhaps, but it all feels highly stylized. Curator: It does reek of those idealized romances where even hunting feels like an elaborate dance. What’s interesting is the combination of the precious, almost fragile porcelain, with this rather robust hunting scene. I imagine this piece perched on some lord's mantelpiece. A flickering candle flame casting light on it. Maybe with a real fire blazing. I imagine how this scene comes alive in the candle light! Editor: Indeed! Considering the semiotics involved, one sees the object operates simultaneously as a symbol of wealth and status but also engages broader cultural dialogues regarding nature, class, and aesthetics within the Enlightenment era. Curator: Gosh! To me, this Candelabrum reminds me of my grandmother and those precious ornaments that lived behind glass but came down during the Holidays, filling us with enchantment and magic! It's a powerful object – even centuries on it captures the spirit and the culture from where it emerged! Editor: Well said. I think our discussion today highlights how the appreciation of this candelabrum merges pure aesthetic judgment with historical, social, and even literary, understanding, making each viewing experience that much more profound.