Two-handled Dish 1668 - 1669

Editor: Here we have a Two-handled Dish, maker unknown, crafted from silver. It has such a simple, functional shape. What can we say about how the materials and process inform its meaning? Curator: I see a fascinating dialogue between labor and luxury. The form speaks to a specific function, perhaps for serving or display. But the material—silver—suggests wealth and status. Consider the silversmith’s labor: the hammering, shaping, and polishing. Editor: So, it's not just about aesthetics, but the work that went into it? Curator: Precisely. And the social context. Who owned it? How was it used? These questions illuminate the dish’s role in a system of production and consumption. Editor: That's given me a completely different way to think about something as seemingly simple as a dish! Curator: Indeed. By examining materiality and process, we uncover layers of meaning often overlooked in traditional art history.