Salt cellar 1728 - 1729

Curator: As you observe these exquisite pieces, you're looking at a "Set of Six Salt Cellars," crafted between 1728 and 1729 by the talented Paul de Lamerie. Each piece, made of gleaming silver, exemplifies the Baroque style, currently held at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Editor: Oh, how they shimmer! At first glance, they strike me as almost playful, like tiny, ornate goblets waiting to be filled with sparkling secrets. Do salt cellars usually come in such elegant form? Curator: Indeed! These aren't your average salt shakers. De Lamerie was known for elevating functional objects into works of art. Think of the context: Baroque London. Grandiose architecture, extravagant fashion and naturally, the dinner tables mirrored that opulence. Owning silverware, especially something as intricate as these, was a major flex! Editor: A flex, you say? I suppose salt was precious. Now I'm thinking of social dynamics at those tables—the positioning of these cellars, who got them, who didn't… did that little spoonful become a symbol? Curator: Absolutely, luxury was performative, these pieces broadcasted wealth, status, and good taste. De Lamerie had Huguenot ancestry, it is a family with deep silversmithing roots. A legacy like that and catering to wealthy clientele surely adds layers to their function and the stories that those silvers reflect, don't you think? Editor: Absolutely. You know, imagining the hands that touched them, the conversations that unfolded around them, almost makes them pulse with energy! The light, catching on the silver… they’re like miniature suns on display. Each reflects that the simplest things can be elevated into statements of beauty, or power. Curator: Yes, and let us acknowledge this isn't just beauty for beauty's sake. It's embedded in societal dynamics. So, next time you're reaching for that pinch of salt, consider the history contained in something as mundane as a grain!