Porringer c. 1770

Curator: This is a porringer by Edward Davis, currently residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It possesses a stark beauty, doesn't it? The stark simplicity of the bowl contrasts with the baroque extravagance of its handle. Curator: The handle's piercing speaks volumes about the labour involved; each cut a testament to the silversmith’s skill and time invested. Editor: Consider the circular form, repeated in the bowl’s basin and the handle’s curves. It is a study in pure geometry. Curator: Absolutely, but think also of the function. This wasn’t just decoration; it was a piece of domestic ware, reflective of status and consumption. Editor: And the monogram? I.S.? It invites us to consider the original owner, to weave a narrative about their life and times through a formal element of art. Curator: It makes you wonder about all the hands that labored to bring this object into being, each with their own story intertwined with the silver. Editor: I find myself drawn to the interplay of light on the polished surface, a dance of reflections that animates the form. Curator: Seeing it this way allows you to appreciate the craft and labor. Editor: Indeed. A marriage of form and history.