Candlestick (Ecclesiastical) 1939

Curator: This watercolour from 1939 by Edward Jewett depicts an ecclesiastical candlestick. Editor: Oh, my first impression is of something worn, you know? Something old, maybe even… neglected. It’s like this object carries the weight of centuries on its… well, its watery shoulders here. I find it quite melancholic. Curator: Melancholic, yes, perhaps because candlesticks often feature in moments of mourning or remembrance. But beyond its potential ceremonial role, consider its symbolic resonance. The candlestick can represent enlightenment, the dispelling of darkness through the flame of knowledge or faith. Editor: Faith! Okay, now my subconscious is screaming "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade!" But the color scheme is throwing me off – these subdued browns and tans, where I expect gold, speak to the object’s use, or lack of use, and the natural decay of things… that dust motes to dust motes message again. Curator: And this specific form, the bulbous shapes, are loaded with historical and psychological symbolism, particularly with ideas of earthly fertility. However, by placing these forms within a specifically religious object like a candlestick, Jewett intertwines ideas of earthy, generative power with notions of divinity. The interplay is…complex. Editor: The base seems firmly rooted and substantial, as though physically weighed down. It's a wonderful choice that gives me this idea that despite being made from humble pigments, it could withstand tempests and tests of time! Curator: Note the delicate execution with watercolor. A medium known for its transparency and fragility, applied to render an object associated with permanence and faith. The choice highlights the ephemeral nature of even the most deeply held beliefs and cherished objects. Editor: It's amazing to consider how much history and significance is embedded in something as simple as a candlestick. I mean, really, it’s more than just a pretty decoration, or a light in the darkness. Curator: It really is about much more than meets the eye. The artist challenges us to question the intersection of beauty, utility, memory, and meaning embedded within the most familiar forms.