BritishSilver:StateHermitageMuseumCatalogue

Despiteitscomparativelysmallsize—justover370items,datingmainlyfromthe18thcentury—thecollectionofBritishsilverintheHermitageisrenownedforitsvarietyandquality.Overthecourseofthe18thand19thcenturies,theintroductionofEuropeandininghabitsandRussianAnglophiliacontributedtotheacquisitionoflargequantitiesofBritishsilver.Mostofthepieceswerefunctionalratherthandecorative,suchasdinnerortoiletservicesspeciallycommissionedbymembersoftheimperialfamilyandthearistocracy.Markingthe250thanniversaryoftheStateHermitageMuseum,thiscatalogueoffersagrandpresentationoftheseglorioussilveritems,supportedbynewresearchanddocuments.Inherintroduction,MarinaLopatodetailsthecomplexitiesofRussianandHermitagehistorytosetthescenefortheobjects.SumptuousillustrationsshowcasetheexceptionalnatureoftheHermitage’sBritishsilver,mostevidentinfourmonumentalwinecoolersthatareamongthebestknownpiecesofBritishsilveranywhereintheworld.