Fork
ca. 1690
Classification
cutlery
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
The Robert L. Metzenberg Collection, gift of Eleanor L. Metzenberg
Accession Number
1985-103-157
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Step into the elegant world of 17th-century tableware with *Fork* by Herder, crafted around 1690. This delicate piece of cutlery, now housed in the Smithsonian American Museum as part of the Smithsonian Collection, hails from The Robert L. Metzenberg Collection, generously gifted by Eleanor L.zenberg. Though research is ongoing and the medium remains unidentified, its classification as cutlery highlights the refined craftsmanship of the era, when everyday objects like forks were elevated to functional art. In the late 1600s, forks were still a novelty in many households, transitioning from It...