Dish (one of a pair) 1715 - 1731

Curator: At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, we find this fascinating dish, part of a pair, crafted by Jérôme Rebillé between 1715 and 1731. It’s made of silver, a reflection of its era, really. Editor: The overwhelming impression is, undeniably, polish. Its perfectly buffed sheen almost suggests an otherworldly object. I wonder about the workshops it came from and what labor produced its glimmering effect. Curator: Absolutely, and the symbolism is rather pointed. Notice the engraved heraldic crest? The design acts as a statement about lineage, power, and perhaps the ambitions of the original owner. Think of silver itself as a signifier, suggesting status and refined taste. Editor: Well, and consider the materiality: Silver demanded particular skill sets and tools. Also, what social rituals would require its use, dictating not just the object’s form but its value in 18th-century commerce and displays of wealth. Curator: Indeed. Silver as material mirrors cultural assumptions. Think about dining as ritual and social theatre. The reflections, literally mirroring guests and their ambitions, made meals meaningful. Editor: Yes, the mirrored finish, crafted through specific hammering and polishing processes, amplified both aesthetic enjoyment and, dare I say, conspicuous consumption. I suspect the historical records detailing silver-mining practices could tell us more. Curator: The piece definitely sparks questions beyond just surface elegance. It hints at dynastic continuity and the enduring nature of symbolism in daily objects. It certainly provokes you to want to peek behind the curtain, as it were, onto that era. Editor: Absolutely, and I remain intrigued by how much embedded energy resides in an apparently simple piece. Consider the labor of both creation and upkeep: It’s almost like peering through time via metallurgical means.