Pair of Candlesticks 1746

Curator: These silver candlesticks by George Wickes at the Harvard Art Museums are, well, aggressively ornamental. Editor: They almost look alive, like fancy metal plants reaching for the light. Curator: The ornate detail feels very much of Wickes' era. I imagine flickering light dancing across all those curves. The sheer density of rococo detailing, the chasing and the casting... Editor: A dance of light and shadow, certainly. Though, I find myself thinking about the weight of such elaborate forms. Do you feel it echoes the weight of courtly life back then? Curator: Perhaps. Or maybe Wickes was just having a bit too much fun with silver. Either way, these candlesticks leave quite an impression. Editor: Indeed. They invite us to not just see, but to feel the opulence.