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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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Sèvres Manufactory (French, 1740–present)

Decorator:: François-Joseph Aloncle (1734–1781, active 1758–81)
Date:: 1767
Culture:: French, Sèvres
Medium:: Soft-paste porcelain
Dimensions:: Overall (confirmed): 4 1/8 x 5 5/16 x 3 1/8 in. (10.5 x 13.5 x 7.9 cm)
Classification:: Ceramics
Credit Line:: Gift of Irwin Untermyer, 1964
Accession Number:: 64.101.361a, b

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The Usefulness of Magnificence: Silver and the English Court

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