Item : 458586
Ewer
Period: 18th century
Cast, repoussé, and chased silver ewer. The slender body, with its characteristic inverted helmet shape, recalls a design particularly favored in 18th-century European silverware. It features a wide spout designed to facilitate pouring the liquid it contains.
The surface is divided into three horizontal bands. The upper band, shaped into a wide spout designed to facilitate pouring the liquid it contains, displays a refined Bérain-style chased decoration characterized by elegant linear and arabesque motifs.
The central band is engraved with a coat of arms surmounted by a crown, most likely belonging to the patron who commissioned the work and possibly attributable to a Genoese patrician family. The shield is quartered, meaning it is divided vertically into two fields: the first depicts a leafy tree, while the second shows a column with a capital, topped by a small stylized crown.
The lower band is articulated by a series of fluted pilasters perpendicular to the base, finely decorated and alternating with a densely dotted background, which gives the surface vibrancy. The foot has a gadrooned circular base, while an elegant and solid scrolled handle completes the composition.
The balance of proportions, the quality of craftsmanship, and the refinement of the decorative elements are an example of the harmonious union between functionality and aesthetic taste found in 18th-century Genoese silverware.