ticketsMember | Make a donation

Wine cistern

1709–10
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 512
Wine cisterns were common in Europe, but do not come into general use in England until the late seventeenth century. The period of their greatest utilization was the eighteenth century. This wine cooler now bears the coat of arms of William Wyndham Grenville and his wife Anne Pitt, who were married in 1792. The original owner is unknown, although the two seahorses that form the prominent handles may refer to his or her coat of arms.

In spite of its imposing size and precious material, this wine cistern probably would have been placed on the floor where, filled with water, it served to keep bottles of white wine cool until needed at table. Its form, curving in both the vertical and horizontal sections, presented a difficult shape for symmetrical ornamentation, here executed with exactitude and a high degree of refinement.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Wine cistern
  • Maker: Lewis Mettayer (British, active 1700–died 1740)
  • Date: 1709–10
  • Culture: British, London
  • Medium: Silver
  • Dimensions: Overall (confirmed): 16 × 32 1/2 × 19 13/16 in., 31 lb. (40.6 × 82.6 × 50.3 cm, 14.1 kg)
  • Classification: Metalwork-Silver
  • Credit Line: Gift of Irwin Untermyer, 1968
  • Object Number: 68.141.132
  • Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Audio

Cover Image for 2152. Cistern (Wine)

2152. Cistern (Wine)

0:00
0:00
We're sorry, the transcript for this audio track is not available at this time. Please email info@metmuseum.org to request a transcript for this track.

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Serving spoon, Lewis Mettayer British, Silver, British, London
Serving spoon
Lewis Mettayer
1711–12
Caster (one of a set of three), Lewis Mettayer British, Gilded silver, British, London
Caster (one of a set of three)
Lewis Mettayer
1714/15
Caster (one of a set of three), Lewis Mettayer British, Gilded silver, British, London
Caster (one of a set of three)
Lewis Mettayer
1714/15
Dish (one of a pair) (part of a set), Lewis Mettayer British, Gilded silver, British, London
Dish (one of a pair) (part of a set)
Lewis Mettayer
1714/15
Dish (one of a pair) (part of a set), Lewis Mettayer British, Silver gilt, British, London
Dish (one of a pair) (part of a set)
Lewis Mettayer
1714/15

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.