Candlestick 1735 - 1750

Editor: Here we have a silver candlestick, made between 1735 and 1750 by Adrian Bancker. The Baroque style gives it a somewhat austere, but still very elegant, feel. What strikes you most when you look at this piece? Curator: It's easy to see it merely as decorative, but let's consider its social function. Lighting at the time was a privilege. This candlestick represents power, literally illuminating spaces controlled by a select few. Consider its material: silver. Who had access to this precious metal and the skilled labor to craft it? Editor: So, you are saying this wasn’t just a pretty object, but a signifier of class? Curator: Precisely. Baroque, as a style, was embraced by the elite. The curves and flourishes, though restrained here, still speak to that desire to display wealth and refinement. Now, look at its geometry. Does that geometric base add to or detract from what might be called feminine baroque shapes? Editor: That's an interesting question. I hadn't considered the gendered aspect. The octagonal base does add a certain strength to its design, balancing the curves. It almost reads as a subtle resistance to pure ornamental excess. Curator: Indeed. What can objects tell us about the stories they are intimately intertwined with? These aren't just historical artifacts; they are relics reflecting social dynamics and material culture. Editor: It makes you realize that even something as simple as a candlestick has layers of meaning embedded within it. It definitely gives me a new appreciation for decorative arts. Curator: And hopefully, encourages you to keep asking, “Whose story does this object tell, and whose does it silence?"