Set of six forks (part of a set) 1767 - 1771

This set of six forks, part of a larger set, was crafted by Louis-Joseph Lenhendrick, who lived from 1683 to 1783. Considered as precious objects, these forks speak volumes about 18th-century aristocratic dining culture, emphasizing a stark class divide where elaborate dining rituals were exclusively for the wealthy. The forks are not just utensils; they represent status, taste, and the performance of gentility. Made from a precious metal, they reflect the intense labor required to mine and craft them, labor often performed by those excluded from the tables where such finery was used. These objects invite us to reflect on the complex relationship between luxury, labor, and social identity. How might such objects shape or reflect societal issues around class and privilege?