On loan to The Met The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Pitcher
Enlivened by fluttering leaves, flapping wings, and splashing fish, this pitcher was one of Tiffany’s most popular Japanesque designs. A lively pond scene wraps around it in a dynamic, asymmetrical composition reminiscent of Japanese scrolls and screens. Firm records cite the object as a model for coloring Japanese alloys. When Tiffany displayed a pitcher of this design at the 1878 Paris Exposition, it was featured in a French publication on "masterpieces" of the fair. In a diary entry recording the sale of a version of the form in Paris, silver workshop supervisor Charles Grosjean notes, "Mixed metal attracts much attention. . . . Alloys much admired." In a testament to the work’s popularity and influence, Russian silversmith Pavel Ovchinnikov created a similar jug shortly after the fair.
Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.
