Vase
ca. 1670 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This vase is one of a pair. The shape of vases such as these was inspired by imported Chinese blue and white porcelain. They were made to decorate the chimneypiece, and the hearth below would be equipped with silver andirons and silver-mounted fire irons. This pair belonged originally to Joseph Addison, founder of the Spectator magazine.
Large sculptural objects for display had always been an important feature of aristocratic and princely silver. But in Restoration England it was commented with disapproval upon the extravagance of the latest fashion (imported from France) for massive silver furniture, chandeliers, wine cisterns and other heavy types of plate. Impressive and monumental Baroque silver of this kind had a particular appeal for Arthur Gilbert.
Sir Arthur and Rosalinde Gilbert began collecting in the 1960s and over a period of 40 years formed one of the world’s great private collections of decorative arts. The collection consists of over 800 objects from the fields of European gold and silver, Italian mosaics and hardstone, portrait enamels and gold boxes. Sir Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996 to be housed at Somerset House, London, having previously been displayed at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). In 2008 the collection was moved to dedicated galleries in the V&A, where a selection has been on permanent display ever since.
Large sculptural objects for display had always been an important feature of aristocratic and princely silver. But in Restoration England it was commented with disapproval upon the extravagance of the latest fashion (imported from France) for massive silver furniture, chandeliers, wine cisterns and other heavy types of plate. Impressive and monumental Baroque silver of this kind had a particular appeal for Arthur Gilbert.
Sir Arthur and Rosalinde Gilbert began collecting in the 1960s and over a period of 40 years formed one of the world’s great private collections of decorative arts. The collection consists of over 800 objects from the fields of European gold and silver, Italian mosaics and hardstone, portrait enamels and gold boxes. Sir Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996 to be housed at Somerset House, London, having previously been displayed at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). In 2008 the collection was moved to dedicated galleries in the V&A, where a selection has been on permanent display ever since.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Silver-gilt, engraved, chased and embossed |
| Brief description | Silver-gilt vase, London, ca. 1670, mark of Thomas Jenkins |
| Physical description | Silver-gilt vase on a spreading circular foot with a waisted neck, in the forms of Chinese porcelain. The vase is surmounted by a domed cover and a baluster finial. Deep and highly decorative chasing is found overall in the form of acanthus foliage. Around the upper part of the body garlands of fruits and foliage are hung from ribbons between rosettes. The vase has an inscription engraved around the neck. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Engraved 'This belonged to the Right Honorable Joseph Addison' (Inscription is just below the rim of the neck.) |
| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This vase is one of a pair. The shape of vases such as these was inspired by imported Chinese blue and white porcelain. They were made to decorate the chimneypiece, and the hearth below would be equipped with silver andirons and silver-mounted fire irons. This pair belonged originally to Joseph Addison, founder of the Spectator magazine. Large sculptural objects for display had always been an important feature of aristocratic and princely silver. But in Restoration England it was commented with disapproval upon the extravagance of the latest fashion (imported from France) for massive silver furniture, chandeliers, wine cisterns and other heavy types of plate. Impressive and monumental Baroque silver of this kind had a particular appeal for Arthur Gilbert. Sir Arthur and Rosalinde Gilbert began collecting in the 1960s and over a period of 40 years formed one of the world’s great private collections of decorative arts. The collection consists of over 800 objects from the fields of European gold and silver, Italian mosaics and hardstone, portrait enamels and gold boxes. Sir Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996 to be housed at Somerset House, London, having previously been displayed at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). In 2008 the collection was moved to dedicated galleries in the V&A, where a selection has been on permanent display ever since. |
| Associated objects | |
| Bibliographic reference | Chapman, Martin. The Gilbert Collection of Gold and Silver. Recent Acquisitions 2. Los Angeles (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) 1991, cat. no. C. |
| Other numbers |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.616:1, 2-2008 |
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| Record created | June 26, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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