Candlestick 1694 - 1695

Curator: Ah, yes, here we have a pair of silver candlesticks, crafted around 1694-1695, attributed to Thomas Ash, currently residing at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Editor: Oh, they’re strikingly austere. Imposing in a quiet, reflective way. Like silver sentinels guarding…what secrets do you think they hold? Curator: Well, considering the Baroque period in which they were made, these candlesticks likely graced the tables of the elite. Imagine them casting flickering shadows across powdered wigs and hushed conversations about politics and power. Editor: Powdered wigs. Right. It's easy to get caught up in the romance, isn’t it? But I’m more drawn to thinking about the intense societal hierarchies of the late 17th century that these pieces represent. Silver, especially objects of this size and intricacy, signified immense wealth. Curator: Absolutely, they are emblematic of a time when the aesthetics of luxury reinforced the existing social order. The very form echoes classical architecture, don't you think? Each candlestick is like a miniature fluted column. It gives them a sense of enduring importance. It also emphasizes the beauty of simple form elevated through exquisite craftsmanship. Editor: And the labor! We mustn’t forget the labor behind them, often extracted under exploitative conditions. When we admire their shimmering surfaces, it's essential to remember the human cost of such lavish displays. The Baroque era’s obsession with ornamentation was always underpinned by exploitation and inequity. Curator: True. Still, looking at the technical skill, I find a kind of alchemy there –base metal transformed into something radiant, almost spiritual. The light playing across those carefully wrought surfaces… it hints at a certain transcendence. Perhaps the aim was to elevate earthly existence, however briefly. Editor: And perhaps we can see them now as artifacts demanding introspection. Not just shining objects, but reminders of a complicated past. Curator: So, they are light-bearers of more than just wax, but memory, and history, reminding us of who we are and where we’ve come from. Editor: Illuminating indeed.