Plate
1812–17
Medium
Pewter
Dimensions
H. 5/8 in. (1.6 cm); Diam. 6 1/8 in. (15.6 cm)
Classification
Plate
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. J. Insley Blair, in memory of her husband, 1941
Accession Number
41.34.45
Art Historical Context
Step into the refined domestic world of early 19th-century America with delicate pewter plate crafted by Blakeslee Barnes 1812 and 1817. Measuring just 5/8 inch high and 6 1/8 inches in diameter this petite piece from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing exemplifies the skilled handiwork of American pewter during a time of national growth and the War of 1812. Barnes, a noted craftsman likely working in New England, produced functional yet elegant tableware that graced middle-class homes before mass production revolutionized everyday objects. Pewter, an alloy of tin, antimony, and co...