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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Capodimonte

Modeler:: Giuseppe Gricci (ca. 1700–1770)
Artist:: Miniature attributed to Giovanni Caselli (1698–1752)
Date:: ca. 1745–50
Culture:: Italian, Naples
Medium:: Soft-paste porcelain, gold
Dimensions:: Overall (confirmed): H. 2 1/4 x W. 3 5/8 x D. 3 in. (5.7 x 9.2 x 7.6 cm)
Classification:: Ceramics
Credit Line:: Gift of R. Thornton Wilson, in memory of Florence Ellsworth Wilson, 1955
Accession Number:: 55.216.4

This artwork is currently on display in Gallery 508

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The Usefulness of Magnificence: Silver and the English Court

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