Stand for a bowl with cover (plateau) 1769 - 1770

Curator: So sleek. It’s got this kind of quiet shimmer, doesn’t it? Like a frozen lake just before dawn. Editor: I see luxury, a frozen landscape of power and privilege. This piece, titled "Stand for a bowl with cover," sometimes called “plateau”, was crafted in Paris between 1769 and 1770 by Jacques-Pierre Marteau. It’s currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It screams Rococo decadence, doesn’t it? Curator: Decadence, yes, but with a playful air. I love that even in something so inherently opulent as a silver serving dish, you find this lightness of touch, almost as if Marteau were whispering a secret joke. Look at the garland pattern. It’s not stern or imposing. It almost seems like an afterthought. Editor: These 'afterthoughts,' as you call them, are the very mechanisms that maintained social hierarchies. This silver piece represents more than just dining; it symbolizes an elaborate ritual where access to resources was carefully guarded. The Rococo style was wielded as a weapon of exclusivity. Curator: Hmm, I get that. Still, the elegance! Imagine the candlelight dancing on its surface. Silver has such a unique character: refined but with an inherent sense of movement, ready to catch and reflect the world around it. You can see this energy not only in the shape but in the small design, what does the material bring to this discussion about hierarchies? Editor: The use of silver, of course, further entrenches the historical meaning behind such a bowl: power, wealth, exclusivity. Remember the political context: The piece was created during an era rife with inequality, just decades before revolution consumed France. I mean, you would need entire silver set. It does suggest to whose power we're submitting and who were invited in those closed circles. The "frozen lake" you saw could easily thaw into a flood of revolutionary fervor. Curator: Absolutely. The piece isn’t merely beautiful. It's a complex historical record frozen in metal. This isn't just about fancy dining. It reveals profound stories of human connection, social performance and power dynamics. Editor: A frozen lake, indeed. Reflecting back not just candlelight, but the weight of history.