Plate
1753–55
Medium
Silver gilt
Dimensions
Diameter: 10 in. (25.4 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Silver
Culture
German, Augsburg
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Lesley and Emma Sheafer Collection, Bequest of Emma A. Sheafer, 1973
Accession Number
1974.356.735
Art Historical Context
This elegant silver gilt plate, crafted Gottlieb Satzger in Augsburg, Germany, between 1753 and 1755, exemplifies the opulence of mid-18th-century European metalwork. Measuring 10 inches in diameter, it belongs to the Rococo style, characterized by its lavish gilding—a technique where a thin layer of gold is applied over silver to create a radiant, jewel-like finish. Satzger, a skilled silversmith from Augsburg, a renowned hub for German silver production, likely employed intricate chasing and embossing to adorn the surface, though the plate's precise motifs reflect the era's love for ornate, ...