Design for an Embossed Silver Platter 19th century

This is a design for an embossed silver platter made with graphite, pen and brown ink, watercolor, and gouache on paper. The platter represents wealth and luxury, so we have to consider the economic context of the society that produced it. The design suggests the importance of dining as a social ritual in the culture, reflecting the structure of social hierarchies. It also emphasizes the relationship between art and craft, questioning the division between functional objects and artworks. Although the artist is unknown, we can use historical archives of similar designs and objects, as well as the records of craft guilds and manufactories, to understand the socio-economic status and artistic conventions of its origin. Careful historical and archival research helps us explore how cultural objects reflect and shape social values and power structures, moving beyond the simple aesthetic appreciation of the work.