Sugar Bowl 1835 - 1845

Curator: This daguerreotype depicts a sugar bowl crafted between 1835 and 1845 by Bailey and Kitchen. The photograph itself, of course, dates later. The artwork now resides here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: Well, isn't it elegant! There's a certain chill to the piece though, don’t you think? A pristine beauty, untouched and a little distant. Like a memory encased in glass. Curator: It speaks to the era’s burgeoning middle class and their aspirations toward refinement and domestic display. Silver objects, notably, signified a family’s financial well-being. Photography democratized the documentation of those objects. Editor: Interesting you say that because while it looks incredibly proper and upstanding, that knob on the lid is just begging to be fidgeted with, and those engraved edges just aching to be touched. Makes you wonder about its real use in somebody’s everyday life. Curator: Precisely. It’s tempting to romanticize, but the historical context includes complex realities—class divisions, the origins of the silver itself—perhaps obtained through exploitative labor practices. The gleaming surface hides so much, as daguerreotypes of the era often do. Editor: Makes you wonder what secrets this Sugar Bowl would whisper if it could talk! Maybe tales of sweet tea spilled during clandestine conversations, or hushed proposals over sugary treats? Every object has a story waiting to be excavated. Curator: Exactly! The image invites us to consider the object beyond its surface allure and interrogate the history embedded within it. Editor: Absolutely, an invitation to connect beyond the shimmering surface. And hopefully inspire a bit more kindness while you're at it.