Pilgrim bottle (one of a pair)
Medium
Gilded silver
Dimensions
confirmed: 20 1/2 × 12 1/2 × 8 in., 8.3 lb. (52 × 31.8 × 20.3 cm, 3756.5g)
Classification
Metalwork-Silver
Culture
British, London
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, 2019
Accession Number
2019.283.119
Art Historical Context
Behold the elegant *Pilgrim bottle* (one of a pair crafted in 1869 by renowned silversmith Robert Garr II of London. This substantial gilded silver vessel stands an impressive 20½ inches tall and weighs over 8 pounds, its flattened, bulbous form evoking medieval originals designed for pilgrims to carry wine or holy water during journeys. The luxurious gilding—gold applied over silver—enhances its opulent sheen, a technique perfected in Victorian workshops to mimic Renaissance grandeur. Made during the height of the Victorian era, when British artisans revived historic styles amid industrial i...