Chamber candlestick 1824 - 1825

Curator: Well, that's a peculiar little object, isn't it? I immediately want to know what kind of tiny human needed such elaborate lighting. Editor: Indeed. We’re looking at a chamber candlestick, crafted sometime between 1824 and 1825 by Robert Hennell II. The piece, made from silver and gold, belongs to the decorative arts and is currently part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Curator: It's dazzling, almost aggressively shiny! There's something so undeniably opulent about its golden hue, despite its petite size. Did people actually carry these to bed with them? Imagine the wax drippings! Editor: They did, and yes, wax would have been an issue. These were designed for moving from room to room, providing light while also minimizing fire hazards, the little cone snuffer ensures the candle could be put out safely. The ornate detailing would've signified status, wouldn't you agree? Curator: Absolutely, the craftsmanship alone screams "expensive boredom." Someone had a lot of time and resources. All those flourishes for something purely functional! I suppose that's part of the allure, isn't it? Elevating the mundane to an art form, finding beauty where it isn't strictly necessary. Editor: I think that’s spot on. It’s interesting how objects like this both reflect and reinforce social hierarchies, no? Consider who commissioned, who made it, how the materials were obtained… all woven into the light it casts. It’s like holding a tiny piece of history in your palm. Curator: Right! Though I am imagining more intimate scenarios: midnight letters sealed with wax, perhaps hushed plotting by candlelight…it seems like more than an everyday accessory. Editor: And those narratives—imagined or real—give objects like these a resonance that transcends mere material value. Thanks to pieces like this one by Hennell we can look back on not only an artwork but its cultural influences as well. Curator: Exactly! It almost makes you wish you could invent your own ornate chamber candlestick and bring back an element of this lavish personal ritual to everyday life, if only to recapture a lost luxury.