Teapot (Primary Title)
Myer Myers, American, 1723 - 1795 (Artist)
Myer Myers, a New Yorker with Richmond connections, hammered this teapot – body, lid, and foot – from weighty blocks of silver “ingots” before casting the S-scroll spout. Detailed with sweeping acanthus leaves, the spout is expressive of the serpentine “line of beauty” extolled by Englishman William Hogarth.
The asymmetrical curving line of the spout was a particular feature of the rococo style, which countered the controlled linearity of classical form by introducing ornament derived from nature. These characteristic curves also appear in the teapot’s extraordinary chased decoration. Chasing was a highly specialized skill. It required an artisan to hammer up the silver from the back and then punch – or chase - a detailed pattern into its surface.
Myer Myers: Jewish Silversmith in Colonial New York, exh. cat., Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, 2001, and on tour
Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.
