Art Institute of Chicago

Centerpiece

Marked by John Bridge (born England, 1755–1834)

Date

1824–25

Medium

Silver

Culture

England

Department

Applied Arts of Europe

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

This silver centerpiece’s large scale and robust modeling epitomize the lavish quality of works by Rundell, Bridge and Rundell, one of the most prestigious retailers of silver and jewelry in the British Empire. It likely served as the model for a nearly identical group of four made for King George IV. The design exploits silver’s plasticity to great effect, as seen in the craggy coral and turtles that support the base and in the undulating curves of the seashell bowl. Mythical figures—seahorses and the god Triton blowing his conch shell—demonstrate the firm’s mastery in blending naturalistic forms with symbolic references to the sea.

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