Miniature porringer
late 17th–early 18th century
Medium
Silver-gilt, agate
Dimensions
1 3/4 × 2 1/4 in. (4.4 × 5.7 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Silver-Miniature
Culture
German
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Joseph M. and Aimee Loeb May Collection, 1963
Accession Number
63.53.221a, b
Art Historical Context
This exquisite **Miniature porringer**, by the German silvers I.S. in the 17th to early 18th century exemplifies the pinnacle of Baroque-era metalwork. Measuring just 1 3/4 × 2 1/4 inches (4.4 × 5.7 cm), this silver-gilt vessel—adorned with agateserved not as everyday tableware but as a collector's treasure. Porringers were small bowls for porridge or children's meals, but miniatures like this were prized for display in cabinets of curiosities, showcasing virtuoso craftsmanship on an intimate scale. The use of silver-gilt, where a thin layer of gold is fire-gilt onto silver, lent a luxurious ...