Hot water urn with biblical scenes
Tea—imported from China in increasingly high volumes over the course of the eighteenth century, but still relatively expensive—could be conserved by diluting it with hot water from an urn. Unusually large for an enamel object, this urn is decorated with two monumental scenes from the Old Testament, in addition to several smaller designs adorning its foot and cover. Both images on the urn’s body are based on prints published by Joseph Wagner ca. 1745, after Jacopo Amigoni (a mid-eighteenth-century Italian artist best known for his society portraits and decorative frescoes in the Venetian Rococo style). On one side of the urn, Abigail offers bread and other provisions to David, entreating him not to exact revenge on her husband for initially refusing to provide help. On the other side, Abraham’s steward selects Rebecca, who had been fetching water from a well, to be the wife of Isaac, Abraham’s son.
Enameled objects like this one were intended to imitate the lustrous quality of porcelain at more affordable prices. By the middle of the eighteenth century, technological innovations had made it possible to roll copper, instead of the far costlier gold, into very thin sheets. Powdered glass mixed with minerals (to determine the opacity and color of the enamel) would then be applied onto the copper sheets and fired at high temperatures. A design—whether a famous portrait, generic pastoral scene, or floral motif— could be painted on by hand or copied from an engraving through the newly invented process of transfer printing. Many enameled objects combined both methods of decoration and would be refired after the application of each new layer or color.
Enameled objects like this one were intended to imitate the lustrous quality of porcelain at more affordable prices. By the middle of the eighteenth century, technological innovations had made it possible to roll copper, instead of the far costlier gold, into very thin sheets. Powdered glass mixed with minerals (to determine the opacity and color of the enamel) would then be applied onto the copper sheets and fired at high temperatures. A design—whether a famous portrait, generic pastoral scene, or floral motif— could be painted on by hand or copied from an engraving through the newly invented process of transfer printing. Many enameled objects combined both methods of decoration and would be refired after the application of each new layer or color.
Artwork Details
- Title: Hot water urn with biblical scenes
- Publisher: main decorative scenes based on prints published by Joseph Wagner (Italian, Thalendorf 1706–1780 Venice)
- Artist: main decorative scenes after Jacopo Amigoni (Italian, Venice 1682–1752 Madrid)
- Date: ca. 1780–90
- Culture: British, possibly South Staffordshire
- Medium: Enamel on copper
- Dimensions: Overall: 18 3/4 × 9 1/2 in. (47.6 × 24.1 cm)
- Classification: Enamels-Painted
- Credit Line: Gift of Irwin Untermyer, 1964
- Object Number: 64.101.849a, b
- Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Joseph Wagner
Carlo Maratti
Joseph Wagner
Guercino (Giovanni Francesco Barbieri)
ca. 1745
Multiple artists/makers
1750–70
Joseph Wagner
Franz Joachim Beich
ca. 1725–80
Joseph Wagner
Jacopo Amigoni
1750–70
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.