Candlestick 1760 - 1770

Curator: What strikes me first is the almost childlike innocence of this "Candlestick," crafted from earthenware somewhere between 1760 and 1770 by a master of decorative arts, Michael Edkins. It’s got this simple sweetness. Editor: Yes, on the surface it appears quite charming. However, objects like these often existed within a very hierarchical society. We need to think about who owned this object, who made it, and the social context that allowed for such delicate, decorative items to exist. This speaks to eighteenth-century social stratification, gendered labor and power dynamics within the household. Curator: True, it probably sat in some grand manor, quietly judging. But doesn't it have a homespun quality as well? It feels like the kind of thing a family would have treasured for generations, perhaps a symbol of simpler times. All that folk-art floral ornamentation against that clean, swirled-column structure is really inviting. Editor: I agree that there’s something comforting in its design. The candlestick represents a period that saw an explosion of consumer goods available for home decor; while some art historians might interpret this piece as simple decoration, one cannot ignore its ties to growing colonial economies. I am certain that this object’s placement within a home was quite purposeful and speaks volumes about a growing empire that demanded aesthetic displays in everyday domesticity. Curator: Interesting perspective, you remind me to look beyond mere utility. Despite its purpose, there is also a spiritual function too; imagine the flickering light dancing off the glazed surface, almost bringing these sweet flower figures to life in shadows. A bit Rococo, yes, but a piece for quiet reflection too. It must have radiated light and domesticity in an age of candles! Editor: Precisely, the deliberate Rococo aesthetics were tools for class distinction. Candlesticks like these contributed to creating certain atmospheres and served as signifiers for gender and social positioning. Curator: It seems a world away now, pondering this fragile, flowered piece, but somehow it makes the past feel so immediate, as if you could simply light it and find yourself in another century. Editor: I agree, in examining an object such as this, we have to remember that objects serve as touchstones connecting history with a material culture that is tied to ongoing social stratifications.