Basin 1738 - 1750

This silver basin was crafted by Johann Conrad Lotter in the 18th century. Note the swirling acanthus leaves gracing its rim, a motif echoing classical antiquity, symbolizing endurance and immortality. The acanthus, prominent in ancient Greek and Roman art, frequently adorns Corinthian capitals and friezes. Its presence here harkens back to a bygone era of grandeur and sophistication. Consider how this motif reappears across centuries, adorning Gothic cathedrals and Renaissance palaces, each time imbued with the weight of tradition and a sense of timelessness. Yet, its meaning shifts, from the solemnity of a grave marker to the opulence of aristocratic display. This basin invites us to reflect on how symbols like the acanthus leaf evolve, carrying within them layers of cultural memory and subconscious associations, continuously reinvented through the lens of human experience.