Design for an Ewer, table and candelabra within an ornamental frame
1660–1727
Medium
Pen and brown ink, brush and gray wash. Incised for transfer.
Dimensions
8 5/16 x 11 9/16 in. (21.1 x 29.3 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Fund,1952
Accession Number
53.530.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
Abraham Drentwett the Elder (1647–1727), a master goldsmith from Augsburg, Germany, created this intricate design during the height of the Baroque era, a time when opulent silverware symbolized wealth and status among European nobility. Titled *Design for an Ewer, Table, and Candelabra within an Ornamental Frame*, the drawing bursts with fantastical motifs: playful putti (cherubic figures), majestic tigers, birds, dogs, and goats, all woven into a lavish frame. These elements reflect the exuberant, theatrical style of South German ornamental design, blending realism with whimsy to inspire gran...