Basin with shaving attachment
1745–46 and 1760–61
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Overall: 2 1/2 × 10 1/2 × 13 in. (6.4 × 26.7 × 33 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Silver
Culture
French, Paris
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Catherine D. Wentworth, 1948
Accession Number
48.187.165a, b
Art Historical Context
This exquisite silver basin with shaving attachment, crafted by Parisian silversmiths Jean Fauche (1745–46) and Joseph-Pierre-Jacques Duguay (1760–61), exemplifies the opulence of mid-18th-century decorative arts. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts department, this 2½ × 10½ × 13-inch piece was a luxury toiletry item for the elite, blending functionality with lavish craftsmanship. The dual dating reflects collaborative production, likely with Fauche creating the basin and Duguay adding the innovative shaving tray—a hinged attachment for razors and ...