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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Date:: 1760–70
Culture:: Chinese
Medium:: Hard-paste porcelain
Dimensions:: H. 10 1/2 in. (26.7 cm.); L. 12 3/4 in. (32.4 cm.)
Classification:: Ceramics
Credit Line:: Helena Woolworth McCann Collection, Gift of Winfield Foundation, 1951
Accession Number:: 51.86.313 ab

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The Usefulness of Magnificence: Silver and the English Court

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Tureen with cover

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