Two saltcellars
Unknown Artist
mid-18th century
Medium
Silver, gilt on upper surface
Dimensions
each: 3 1/2 × 4 in. (8.9 × 10.2 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Silver
Culture
British
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1913
Accession Number
13.42.40a, b
Art Historical Context
These elegant *Two Saltcellars*, crafted by an unknown British artist in the-18th century, the exquisite metalwork of the Georgian era. Standing at just 3½ × 4 inches each, these diminutive treasures were designed for the dining table, where salt—a precious commodity symbolizing wealth and hospitality—was ceremoniously presented. Made of silver with gilding on the upper, they shimmer with opulence, the gold enhancing durability against corrosive salt while adding a luxurious glow that caught the candlelight in grand households. In the context of British decorative arts, such silver pieces wer...