The Metropolitan Museum of Art - St. John the Baptist

Art Object

The Usefulness of Magnificence: Silver and the English Court

Ellenor M. Alcorn, Associate Curator, Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, discusses how in England, as in Europe, a rich display of silver was essential to the expression of power. Discover how English sovereigns from Elizabeth I to George III and their courtiers competed culturally on the international stage, commissioning silver and other luxury goods to establish their stature. Presented in conjunction with the exhibition British Silver: The Wealth of a Nation, on view May 15, 2012–January 20, 2013.

Recorded October 12, 2012

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St. John the Baptist

Auguste Rodin (French, Paris 1840–1917 Meudon)

Date:: modeled 1878, bronze cast possibly in 1888
Culture:: French
Medium:: Bronze
Dimensions:: H. 21-3/8 in. (54.3 cm.); W. 15-3/4 in. (40.0 cm.); D. 11 in. (27.9 cm.)
Classification:: Sculpture
Credit Line:: Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 1893
Accession Number:: 93.11

This artwork is currently on display in Gallery 800

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The Usefulness of Magnificence: Silver and the English Court

St. John the Baptist

Auguste Rodin (French, Paris 1840–1917 Meudon)

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The Usefulness of Magnificence: Silver and the English Court

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St. John the Baptist

Auguste Rodin (French, Paris 1840–1917 Meudon)

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