Belt 1730 - 1765

Michael Erkeder crafted this belt out of gold, silver, and gemstones sometime in the late 17th or early 18th century, but it offers us more than just a glimpse into the fashions of the period. Looking closely, you’ll see that the intricate design work, with its mix of religious and secular motifs, speaks to a time of complex social hierarchies and competing cultural influences. The belt was made in Augsburg, Germany, a city then known for its skilled goldsmiths and its powerful merchant class. It evokes the intersection of craftsmanship, commerce, and social status. How might such an object have been used to assert social standing or express personal identity? To answer that we can look to historical records, such as inventories, portraits, and accounts of courtly life, to better understand the meanings and values that people attached to luxury objects like this belt.