The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Tureen with cover and plateau

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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Tureen with cover and plateau

Pont-aux-Choux

Date:: ca. 1755–65 (?)
Culture:: French, Paris
Medium:: Faience fine (lead-glazed earthenware)
Dimensions:: a,b) 14-5/8 x 15-7/8 x 12 in. (37.1 x 40.3 x 30.5 cm); c) H. 3-3/8 in. (8.6 cm), Diam. 9 in. (22.9 cm)
Classification:: Ceramics
Credit Line:: Gift of R. Thornton Wilson, in memory of Florence Ellsworth Wilson, 1950
Accession Number:: 50.211.86a–c

This artwork is currently on display in Gallery 521

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The Usefulness of Magnificence: Silver and the English Court

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Tureen with cover and plateau

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