Tankard 1700 - 1720

Editor: Right now, we’re looking at a silver Tankard crafted sometime between 1700 and 1720 by Cornelius Kierstede. It's currently held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. I'm immediately drawn to its almost austere form, yet those intricate baroque details along the handle and base seem to tell another story. What exactly am I seeing here? Curator: Oh, darling, it's a story of controlled exuberance! Think of it: this was a time when people wanted to show their wealth, but also hint at refinement. Look closely—can you feel that tension between the desire to impress, with all the ornamentation, and a very proper desire to not be *too* showy? Kierstede was clearly playing that line perfectly. Editor: Definitely. The face incorporated into the handle especially feels… almost theatrical. But is it purely decorative? Curator: (chuckles) Is anything purely decorative, my dear? I'd wager those faces, replicated at the base of the handle too, were a very deliberate choice. Consider what beer signified back then. Beyond the pleasure, a Tankard could represent status, community, conviviality… So what face do we choose to symbolize these aspects? Perhaps some idealized image of festivity, Bacchus or something of his ilk? It is not overt, is it? Editor: So, it’s less about mere adornment and more about embedding a particular mood or aspiration? Curator: Precisely! Each curve, each little silver face winks at the grand theatre of early 18th-century life. But what stories *would* this tankard tell, if only silver could speak? It almost vibrates with the whispers of smoky taverns and clandestine gatherings. Editor: That’s such a wonderful way of imagining it. I hadn't considered how a piece like this isn't just about showcasing craftsmanship but encapsulating a whole social atmosphere. Thank you. Curator: My pleasure. It seems that by learning about silver, we are also observing how tastes once defined daily existence!