Wine cistern

Lewis Mettayer

1709–10 · Silver · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Wine cisterns were common in Europe, but do not come into general use in England until the late seventeenth century. The period of their greatest utilization was the eighteenth century. This wine cooler now bears the coat of arms of William Wyndham Grenville and his wife Anne Pitt, who were married in 1792. The original owner is unknown, although the two seahorses that form the prominent handles may refer to his or her coat of arms. In spite of its imposing size and precious material, this wine cistern probably would have been placed on the floor where, filled with water, it served to keep bottles of white wine cool until needed at table. Its form, curving in both the vertical and horizontal sections, presented a difficult shape for symmetrical ornamentation, here executed with exactitude and a high degree of refinement.

Artist

Lewis Mettayer

Date

1709–10

Medium

Silver

Culture

British, London

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Credit line

Gift of Irwin Untermyer, 1968