The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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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Cup and saucer

Meissen Manufactory (German, 1710–present)

Date:: ca. 1740
Culture:: German (Meissen)
Medium:: Hard-paste porcelain
Dimensions:: Cup (.185): H. 1 7/8 in. (4.8 cm.) Saucer (.186): Diam. 5 1/4 in. (13.3 cm.)
Classification:: Ceramics
Credit Line:: The George B. McClellan Collection, Gift of Mrs. George B. McClellan, 1941
Accession Number:: 42.205.185, .186

This artwork is not on display

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The Usefulness of Magnificence: Silver and the English Court

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Meissen Manufactory (German, 1710–present)

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The Usefulness of Magnificence: Silver and the English Court

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Cup and saucer

Meissen Manufactory (German, 1710–present)

Met Media

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