The Milton Shield 1867

The Milton Shield was produced by Elkington and Co., a major force in the British metalworking industry. It’s made of electrotyped silver, a process the firm patented. Electrotyping allowed for the precise reproduction of intricate designs, and here, those designs are based on illustrations of John Milton’s Paradise Lost. These were originally drawn by a French artist named Leonard Morel-Ladeuil. Note the scenes from the biblical story, arrayed in high relief. The shield is fascinating because it blends high and low, fine art and industry. On the one hand, it aspires to the condition of Renaissance metalwork, like that of Cellini. On the other hand, its manufacture was thoroughly modern. Its form resulted from the division of labor and the efficiencies of mass production. Although impressive, the Milton Shield is perhaps best understood as a triumph of Victorian entrepreneurship, bringing art to the masses through technology. It asks us to consider the social and economic forces that shape our aesthetic experiences.