Beaker
ca. 1750 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The twenty-eight enamelled medallions on the body of this beaker depict the armorials of the families who held estates in the state of Thuringia in central Germany during the 18th century. They may have presented the piece to Ludwig von Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt when he was elevated to the rank of a prince of the Holy Roman Empire in 1767. Prince Ludwig was an avid collector with wide ranging interests, from coins to engravings.
The 18th century saw an emerging class of rich citizens who used their acquired wealth to indulge a passion for beautiful objects. The Renaissance tradition of the treasury or Schatzkammer, a special room for displaying exotic artefacts, continued in the 18th and 19th centuries. Other types of display included presentation plate, often of solid gold, which in the 18th century was worth about twenty times the value of silver.
Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
The 18th century saw an emerging class of rich citizens who used their acquired wealth to indulge a passion for beautiful objects. The Renaissance tradition of the treasury or Schatzkammer, a special room for displaying exotic artefacts, continued in the 18th and 19th centuries. Other types of display included presentation plate, often of solid gold, which in the 18th century was worth about twenty times the value of silver.
Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
Object details
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| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Gold, raised and chased, enamel |
| Brief description | Gold and enamelled beaker, Germany, ca.1750. |
| Physical description | Gold beaker and cover, enamelled with twenty-eight circular polychrome medallions each painted with a Thuringian name and coat of arms. Between the medallions are chased scrolls and shellwork and the beaker has a beaded lip. The cover is decorated in a manner similar to the foot and incorporates a sea monster, a snail and a serpent. The enamelled finial is in the shape of an electoral crown. |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Gallery label | (Gallery 71, case 1)
5. Covered beaker set with medallions
About 1750
The 28 enamelled armorials on this beaker represent 18th-century aristocratic families with estates in Thuringia, Germany. They may have presented this piece to Ludwig Günther von Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1708–90) when he became their liege lord.
Probably Dresden or Augsburg, Germany
Gold, painted enamel
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.29:1, 2-2008(16/11/2016) |
| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Object history | Provenance: Possibly Count Ludwig Friedrich I of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. By marriage to the Schönburg-Waldenburg family, 1891. Sale, Sotheby's, Geneva, lot 115, November 12, 1985. Acquired by Arthur Gilbert from S.J. Phillips Ltd, London, 1985. |
| Production | Probably made in Dresden or Augsburg |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The twenty-eight enamelled medallions on the body of this beaker depict the armorials of the families who held estates in the state of Thuringia in central Germany during the 18th century. They may have presented the piece to Ludwig von Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt when he was elevated to the rank of a prince of the Holy Roman Empire in 1767. Prince Ludwig was an avid collector with wide ranging interests, from coins to engravings. The 18th century saw an emerging class of rich citizens who used their acquired wealth to indulge a passion for beautiful objects. The Renaissance tradition of the treasury or Schatzkammer, a special room for displaying exotic artefacts, continued in the 18th and 19th centuries. Other types of display included presentation plate, often of solid gold, which in the 18th century was worth about twenty times the value of silver. Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996. |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.29:1, 2-2008 |
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| Record created | June 26, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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