Candlestick 1717 - 1720

Curator: Here we have a pair of silver candlesticks crafted by Edward Winslow, dating back to 1717-1720. They are currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: They strike me as rather austere. Despite being silver, and ostensibly decorative, there’s a certain plainness in their geometry. Very solid and stable forms. Curator: Well, consider the historical context. Winslow was a silversmith working in Boston. These candlesticks represent early American silver production, moving away from purely imported goods and demonstrating a growing local craftsmanship. The baroque style is evident but tempered by a Colonial simplicity reflecting the available resources. Editor: You're right; knowing their origin does shift my perspective. The segmented design—the square base, the spherical and cylindrical components leading up to the candle holder—it is formally sound, if restrained. The linear progressions exhibit the play of light and shadow inherent in silverwork, almost like an industrial interpretation. Curator: Indeed, the act of silversmithing involved a considerable amount of labor and skill. Winslow would have melted, hammered, and shaped the silver, understanding its malleability and limitations. The societal status attached to silver ownership in colonial society also reflects an interesting intersection of aesthetics and socio-economic standing. The engraving also represents social stratification at the time. Editor: The simplicity of the form starts seeming rather elegant with your description, as does the consideration for negative space in this baroque period. They’re not fighting for attention through ornate embellishments, which gives them a quiet, refined presence. Curator: Precisely! And even this lack of extreme decoration indicates not only practical application of the design in lighting interiors, but it showcases changing cultural values towards ornamentation influenced by available colonial materials and social change in attitude and resources in post colonial US territories. Editor: Well, considering the materiality, the form, and how the work manifests through history I definitely find them compelling examples of the complex interplay between form and production. Curator: Absolutely. Winslow's candlesticks provide a fascinating lens through which to examine the evolution of American craft and design within their particular colonial conditions.