Beaker
1757–58
Medium
Silver gilt
Dimensions
Height: 4 1/8 in. (10.5 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
48.187.311
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the opulent world of 18th-century French decorative arts this delicate *Beaker* crafted by Parisian silversmith Jacques Bes in 1757–58. Standing just 4 1/8 inches (10.5 cm) tall, this silver gilt masterpiece gleams with a luxurious gold-toned finish achieved through electroplating or mercury gilding techniques, which protected the silver while enhancing its radiant appeal. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum Art's Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts, it exemplifies the exquisite metalwork produced in Paris during the reign of Louis XV. The beaker's standout feature is...