Pair of Circular Platters
Martin-Guillaume Biennais
c. 1809–19
Medium
Gilt silver
Dimensions
Diam.: 36.8 cm (14 1/2 in.)
Classification
dish (vessel)
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
25139
About the Artist
Martin-Guillaume Biennais · 1764–1843
Martin-Guillaume Biennais (1764–1843) was the most celebrated goldsmith and silversmith of the Napoleonic era, a craftsman whose work in precious metals became synonymous with the taste and grandeur of the First Empire. Beginning his career as a toy-maker and lacquer merchant, he made the remarkable transition to goldsmithing in the 1790s, establishing himself in Paris and rapidly attracting the p...