Design for a Candelabrum 

Editor: Here we have Thomas Stothard's "Design for a Candelabrum." It's a delicate watercolor wash. The figure seems to be straining under the weight. What can you tell me about this design in relation to its cultural context? Curator: Well, the Neoclassical style evokes a return to republican ideals, though here, that elegance is subverted. Is this woman a figure of strength or subjugation, literally holding up the symbols of patriarchal power? Consider the labor, both visible and invisible, and who benefits from it. Editor: So, it's not just a pretty design, but a commentary on power? Curator: Exactly. Stothard asks us to consider whose light is being illuminated and at what cost. Does seeing the piece this way change how you view it? Editor: Definitely, I'll never look at a candelabra the same way again.