Section of a spoon handle
1789
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Length: 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Silver
Culture
French, Paris
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Jacques Helft, 1939
Accession Number
39.70.8
Art Historical Context
This exquisite section of a spoon handle crafted by Parisian silversmith Michel Savigny in 1789, the refined metalwork of late 18th-century France. just 1 3/8 inches (3.5 cm) in length, this silver fragment captures the meticulous artistry of the period, when silversmiths like Savigny produced luxurious tableware for the elite. Its small scale highlights the precision required in creating functional yet decorative objects, blending utility with elegance. Dated to the pivotal year of the French Revolution, the piece reflects the opulence of the Ancien Régime's final days in Paris. Silver, a pr...