The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Study for The Secret

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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Study for The Secret

Auguste Rodin (French, Paris 1840–1917 Meudon)

Date:: probably modeled ca. 1910, this bronze cast in 1956
Culture:: French
Medium:: Bronze, on black marble base
Dimensions:: H. w/ base: 7-9/16 in. (19.2 cm.); H. w/o base: 4-3/4 in. (12.1 cm.); W. 2-1/4 in. (5.7 cm.); D. 2 in. (5.1 cm.)
Classification:: Sculpture
Credit Line:: Gift of Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation, 1984
Accession Number:: 1984.364.6

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The Usefulness of Magnificence: Silver and the English Court

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The Usefulness of Magnificence: Silver and the English Court

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Study for The Secret

Auguste Rodin (French, Paris 1840–1917 Meudon)

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