Creamer 1790 - 1810

This Creamer was made by Joseph Moulton, around the late 18th or early 19th century. The silver object is defined by a juxtaposition of sharp, vertical lines and smooth curves. Its reflective surface mirrors our gaze, complicating the line between object and viewer. Moulton destabilizes traditional categories of form and function. Notice how the handle, a mere suggestion of a curve, barely fulfills its utilitarian purpose, challenging the conventional understanding of domestic objects. The body of the Creamer is divided into vertical panels, each reflecting light in different intensities, which introduces a play of shadows that disrupts the object’s monolithic presence. The Creamer engages with broader philosophical concerns about perception and representation. The silver material acts as a signifier, referencing wealth and status while simultaneously dematerializing the object through its reflective properties. In this way, Moulton invites us to reconsider the Creamer not just as an object but as a dynamic interplay of form, light, and meaning.