|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wine-cooler |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
 
|
Wine buckets or coolers like this were a typical article of daily use
at court in 18th century Russia. They were used to chill wine during ceremonial
receptions. The decoration of the cooler was closely related to its use:
this is a unique hymn in silver to the god of wine, Bacchus. Although
there is no depiction of the god himself, his numerous entourage is presented
in abundance. The creation of the cooler was initiated at the behest of
Henry Jerningham, a banker and master silversmith who made a design for
it in 1730 that was repeated in an etching by George Vertue. Wax models
for the figures were made by the sculptor Michael Rysbrack. These were
cast in silver and chased by Charles Kandler. When the work was completed,
Jerningham could not find a buyer and he appealed to Parliament to designate
the cooler as a prize in the lottery being organised to raise funds for
construction of a bridge across the Thames at Westminster. In 1737 the
prize was won by William Battine of East Marden in Sussex. Soon afterwards
the cooler turned up in Russia. It may have been purchased for Empress
Anna Ioannovna. In 1741 by order of Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, the cooler
was declared to be the property of the Treasury.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Copyright © 2011 State Hermitage Museum |
