Olive spoon 1725 - 1726

Curator: We're standing before a meticulously crafted olive spoon fashioned by Charles Girard, dating back to 1725-1726. Its medium? Gleaming silver. Editor: Immediately, I see refinement and purpose—this isn't just a tool, it's a statement of elegance and the beauty of functionality! Curator: Indeed. Note the intricate symmetry of the bowl's decoration. A geometric grid pattern takes centre stage, framed with curvilinear flourishes which lead outwards to trace the outline, playing on contrast in an interesting and dynamic way. Editor: You're right, that juxtaposition! It is unexpected. Makes you wonder who this spoon was made for... I see someone very confident, appreciates the finer details and perhaps even a little mischievous? Olives have a cheeky bite. Curator: The material speaks of luxury—silver was highly prized. This piece serves as an interesting index of cultural status during the early 18th century in particular in relation to decorative art. Notice the way the light interacts with the highly polished surface creating areas of both high contrast and softened reflection. Editor: There’s something almost poetic about using something so exquisitely made for such a mundane, earthy thing as an olive! You'd use a simple forked stick today! I keep coming back to that combination of refined tool and food; food can evoke such memories! I suppose I love the idea of the history and the unknown hands that held this, connecting the mundane to the marvelous in unexpected ways! Curator: Precisely; Girard’s creation allows us to reflect on materiality, class and taste across a specific and critical time. Editor: It’s a joy looking more deeply than at first seems likely to this tiny, unassuming olive spoon! Thanks. Curator: My pleasure.