Beaker and Cover
19th century (16th century style)
Medium
Silver, partially gilt
Dimensions
Overall: 14 15/16 x 5 1/8 in. (37.9 x 13 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Silver
Culture
German
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1910
Accession Number
10.197a, b
Art Historical Context
This elegant *Beaker and Cover*, crafted by German silversmith Friedrich Hille in the 19th, masterfully revives the opulent style of 16th-century Renaissance metalwork. Standing at nearly 15 inches tall, its silver body is partially gilded—adorned with a thin layer of gold that catches the light and enhances its luxurious sheen. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Art department (acquired via the Rogers Fund in 1910), it the 19th-century fascination with historicism, where artisans looked to the past for inspiration amid rapid industrialization. Hillebrand's design draws on German Rena...