Tankard 1720 - 1745

Curator: Just look at the luster on this tankard! It practically glows. Editor: It does possess an undeniable gravity. There’s a formal air about it, wouldn't you agree? The sheer, unadorned silver speaks volumes. Curator: This piece, titled "Tankard," was crafted between 1720 and 1745 by Simeon Soumaine. It’s a sterling example of Baroque silverwork. The Art Institute of Chicago is fortunate to have it. Editor: That Baroque exuberance shines through despite its functional nature, it’s designed to hold something quite prosaic like…beer? Yet it elevates the act of drinking, wouldn’t you say? Curator: Certainly. The very medium, gleaming silver, speaks of wealth and status, and of course, the exquisite chasing suggests an intention to impress. The engraving features an interesting combination of foliate ornamentation and heraldic imagery. What cultural memory do you read in it? Editor: The stylized lion rampant likely references the family lineage and valor, while surrounding scrollwork reinforces aspirations for wealth and security. The choice of silver is hardly accidental; beyond mere decoration, silver suggested permanence and posterity. Curator: This form of material display allowed for cultural gatekeeping, didn't it? Serving, quite literally, as a vessel for cultural meaning? Who was permitted to drink from it and under what circumstances, communicates a host of information, wouldn't you say? Editor: Absolutely. The act of offering a drink becomes charged, a social and political theater. Consider the implications of denying a draught from this gleaming vessel... Curator: I can imagine! Well, this "Tankard" by Simeon Soumaine does more than quench thirst; it speaks of power, lineage, and societal dynamics. Editor: It reminds us that even everyday objects carry potent stories if we take the time to listen, or in this case, to look!