Candelabrum (one of a pair) 1735 - 1755

Curator: The use of gilt bronze is meticulously wrought into floral sprays, drawing the eye to its decorative prowess, while the Meissen porcelain figure punctuates this metallic lattice. It achieves a balanced interplay. Editor: We are looking at a porcelain and gilt bronze Candelabrum from 1735 to 1755. The artist's name is Villeroy and is currently displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I am immediately drawn to its peculiar juxtaposition of East meets West, what do you see? Curator: I am immediately arrested by the biomorphic Rococo as evidenced through the pronounced vegetal and floral motifs, specifically in the sconces and emanating supports. Do you note the contrast it posits against the smoother, less-adorned, white porcelain? Editor: Yes, definitely! The floral elements climb the sides and add a playful liveliness that opposes the figure, but I wonder what the placement of the figure means, what did it mean back then? Curator: Observe the meticulous construction. How do the sharp, almost jagged protrusions of the gilded metal create a visual language distinct from the rounded figure, its purpose simply decorative? Do the material choices heighten or flatten your reading? Editor: Interesting, it flattens my reading as a historical relic and sharpens it as a visual object; now I am seeing something beyond its face value! Thank you for pointing that out. Curator: These objects invite us to consider surface, texture, and form—the aesthetic relationships supersede cultural or historical context, and ultimately deepen our appreciation. Editor: I concur. I feel as though I've learned how to "see" artworks like this more fully.