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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)

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