Candlestick
Unknown Artist
18th century
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Overall: 2 1/4 × 10 1/16 × 3 5/8 in. (5.7 × 25.6 × 9.2 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Silver
Culture
Spanish
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Helen W. Wilkins, in memory of her husband, Frederic Fraley Wilkins, 1962
Accession Number
62.157.2
Art Historical Context
This elegant 18th-century Spanish candlestick, standing at just over 10 inches tall, exemplifies the refined metalwork traditions of its time. Crafted by unknown artisan, its modest dimensions—2¼ × 10⅛ × 3⅝ inches—suggest it was designed for tabletop use in affluent homes or perhaps ecclesiastical settings, where silver's gleaming durability made it a symbol of prestige and piety. In the context of European decorative arts, silver from this period reflects the height of silversmithing craftsmanship during the Bourbon era, blending functionality with subtle ornamentation. The medium's luster n...