Pair of candlesticks 1751 - 1752

Curator: Immediately, I think "light." It’s odd to see something made of cold metal seem so…inviting. There’s a reflected warmth. Editor: Yes, exactly! That shimmer you're picking up—it speaks to the heart of Rococo, doesn’t it? Here we have a pair of candlesticks dating from 1751-1752, currently held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The silvery gleam comes, naturally, from the primary medium used here: silver. Curator: The reflective silver combined with all that delicate ornamentation... it's trying very hard to be elegant. Maybe a bit too hard? I feel like it is almost comical. Like someone attempting to be very serious in an utterly ridiculous costume. Editor: Perhaps! Though the repetition and symmetry suggests something about ritualized practice as well. Consider the purpose: to hold light. Light has long been connected with spirituality and knowledge across different religions, and more simply, to make things visible. Curator: I agree with that! The Rococo era was still connected to earlier symbolisms. But I see a visual parallel to those crazy Marie Antoinette wigs. So much attention given to outward, superficial decoration… maybe as a distraction? Editor: I like the idea of distraction. I suppose it would have functioned perfectly well with simpler forms. These candlesticks use flourishes and elaborations that elevate something practical to something far more meaningful and considered. The eye is drawn to dance over its surface rather than resting on function alone. Curator: So, would you say that, historically, these candlesticks would serve more of a function as status symbol, then? Editor: Undeniably. The opulence of this material shouts power. And by their twin presence they invite conversation, balance, and a sense of occasion and importance to an interior space. Curator: Well, thinking about these Rococo flourishes in our context today, I see echoes in, like, pop music where a very catchy, simple beat has layer upon layer of auto-tuned voices, samples, and beats laid on top of each other… almost as a kind of beautiful armor! Editor: Armor indeed. Who knew a simple pair of candlesticks could contain so many layers!