ornate handles; pierced blade

Fish serving set, 1905

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Silverexpand_more

The Putnam Dana McMillan Fundexpand_more  98.5.3.1

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Peter Hertz, the oldest silver factory in Copenhagen, produced designs by Thorvald Bindesbøll and Johan Rhode (the latter being an important designer for the best-known Danish silver manufacturer, Georg Jensen). The designer of this service clearly drew upon ancient Norse designs, similar to the Celtic imagery of medieval Britain, with interlaced decorative elements including numerous dragons.

The revival of folk imagery in material culture during the late 19th century, known as the National Romantic movement, could be found throughout the Nordic countries. Artists adopted historic imagery such as Viking ships or traditional decorative motifs as countries struggled for political independence or cultural distinction. These activities also corresponded with the Arts and Crafts movement taking place as a reaction to industrialization through a revival of handcrafted wares. The resulting style, exemplified in this fish serving set, both honors craft tradition and adopts a more nationalistic overtone by referencing folk history.

Details
Title
Fish serving set
Artist Life
(Copenhagen, Denmark) 1834-present
Role
Manufacturer
Accession Number
98.5.3.1
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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ornate handles; pierced blade