Tray 1796

Curator: This striking silver tray was crafted in 1796 by Christian Wiltberger. Its current home is here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: It has an ethereal quality. A polished surface with a script, like captured starlight on metal. Austere yet deeply impressive. Curator: Note the deliberate composition. The flat, reflective plane is circumscribed by a repeating geometric pattern—tiny rosettes linked by chains, drawing the eye inward. It echoes a neoclassical aesthetic, privileging order and balance. Editor: Those tiny rosettes encircling the script have a certain power. Consider that rosettes often symbolize secrecy or protection, drawing back to antiquity and finding continuous use over time. And there is this dense, calligraphic inscription within... who was this intended for? Curator: I would suggest that the inscription is more like a design element; it offers a texture rather than acting as the actual meaning of the piece. And the supporting legs! See how their elegantly tapered forms introduce verticality and lift, making it less a mere object and more a sculptural statement. Editor: Maybe! I cannot ignore the careful crafting and intent behind its purpose as a tribute of sorts, given its personalized inscription and presentation from the City of Philadelphia honoring a Captain Josiah Bunting, celebrating success on the seas! What is particularly striking is its emphasis on individual accomplishment as a collective point of pride. Curator: Interesting point. Although, even absent context, the rhythmic undulation of the tray's edge is also visually captivating, don't you think? The object uses its physical form to provoke thought beyond cultural context. Editor: But form follows function! What tales it could tell if it could talk. Now what will your close looking do with that Captain’s hidden tale? Curator: Perhaps our divergent lenses can provide a richer and more nuanced understanding of this gleaming testament to craftsmanship and context. Editor: Yes, both structure and symbols, interwoven. A bit like the rosettes within this timeless design.