On loan to The Met The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Claudius Tazza
The Claudius Tazza, originally from a set of twelve depicting the stories of Roman emperors, was likely made in Antwerp for a member of the Habsburg dynasty, who insisted on their right to rulership by claiming imperial Roman lineage. The ensemble’s shallow dishes would have been displayed together on a stepped buffet on special occasions. The alloy composition of the silver used for this metalwork matches that mined by enslaved Indigenous workers in the South American colony of Potosí under the oppression of Habsburg-funded conquistadors. The tazze are not only objects that project imperial aspiration: they are literal products of that power and the brutality that accompanied it.
This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.
