Candlestick (one of a pair) 1655 - 1685

Curator: These are a pair of candlesticks dating from 1655 to 1685, currently held at the Met. I’m curious about the socio-economic contexts around the production of luxury goods during that time. Editor: They're quite ornate! The floral enamel work seems very delicate and the metalwork, probably bronze, makes the pair substantial. What stands out to you? Curator: These candlesticks invite a discussion about materiality and the social status associated with these objects in the 17th century. Consider the resources and labour involved in their creation. Editor: What do you mean? I'm picturing some craftsperson skilled in decorative arts painstakingly hand-painting and firing the enamel. Curator: Exactly. Who had access to bronze and enamel? What kind of workshops were producing these? And what about the social hierarchy among the artisans involved – who designed it, who cast it, who applied the enamel, and how were they compensated? Thinking about that period and who would own such luxury items brings into focus the great wealth and resource disparity in 17th century Europe. Editor: So these aren't just pretty candlesticks, they're evidence of a certain economic system at play, and access to raw materials as a statement. Curator: Precisely! We move past merely aesthetic appreciation to understand the economic structures that enabled its existence. Perhaps luxury, not just as a consumer experience but also a labor process. Editor: That really makes you look at something as beautiful and seemingly simple as a candlestick in a different light. It highlights labor as art. Thank you! Curator: Indeed! Hopefully it's a view you’ll carry into looking at other decorative arts too.