Tankard
Medium
Silver gilt
Dimensions
Overall: 7 7/8 × 8 5/8 in. (20 × 21.9 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Silver
Culture
Russian, St. Petersburg
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Alfred Duane Pell, 1924
Accession Number
25.15.2
Art Historical Context
This elegant silver gilt tankard, in 1798 by-born silversmith Johan Henrik Åkerblom and Leberecht in St Petersburg, exemplifies the opulent metalwork of late 18th-century Imperial Russia. Measuring 7⅞ × 8⅝ inches, its gilded surface—silver coated with a thin layer of gold—creates a radiant, luxurious sheen, ideal for ceremonial toasts or display among the elite. Tankards like this were prized possessions, blending functionality with grandeur, and bore hallmarks from the prestigious St. Petersburg assay office, ensuring quality and authenticity. In the waning years of Catherine the Great's rei...
About the Artist
Johan Henrik Åkerblom|Carl Leberecht ( | ) · 1760 |1749 –1829 |1827
1760–1829, master 1790|1749–1827