Salt 1730 - 1740

Editor: We're looking at "Salt," a small silver sculpture made by Jacob Hurd sometime between 1730 and 1740. It's currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It seems so understated, almost austere. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a potent symbol of power and social stratification. Salt, seemingly insignificant now, was once a crucial commodity, a preservative, a form of currency even. Consider the phrase "worth their salt." This object speaks volumes about the economic landscape of 18th-century colonial America, doesn't it? Who owned it, who didn't, and what did that signify? Editor: I never considered that. The decorative dog adds a personalized touch, but is it tied to colonial identity or a European influence? Curator: Exactly! The dog is important, it gives a face to the ones who own it, because they are also owned, figuratively. So here the Hurd gives to his colonial client not just some English decor but a mark that can create a narrative where ownership and power become very subtle, yet always visible in American colonial society. The form follows European precedents, but the silversmith, by working with silver sourced through complicated colonial trade routes, also embodies that system. Does the object normalize that landscape of power, or perhaps offer subtle critique? Editor: So, even this small, seemingly simple object can offer insight into broader systems of power and cultural exchange? Curator: Absolutely. Decorative arts are too often dismissed as purely aesthetic, but they are deeply embedded in social and political histories. Looking closely reveals so much about class, labor, and the complexities of the colonial world. Editor: That is definitely food for thought... I appreciate this fresh outlook! Curator: And I'm delighted to see you engaging with these questions!