Swag

Art Historical Context

Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative collection, *Swag* is a 18th-century French bronze masterpiece, measuring just 5½ inches wide. Crafted by an unknown artist this small-scale metalwork exemplifies the opulent decorative objects that adorned the homes of France's aristocracy during the Age of Louis XV and XVI. Its classification as a gilt bronze swag—a festooned garland motif—highlights the era's love for elegant, flowing ornamentation inspired by classical antiquity, often used as mounts for furniture, clocks, or porcelain. Gilt bronze, a hallmark o...