Wine cooler (one of a pair) 1781

This silver wine cooler, one of a pair, was crafted in 1781 by Ignaz Joseph Würth, a prolific German silversmith. The piece, now held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, features intricate ornamentation, with a band of sculpted grapes and leaves encircling the central body. The ornate handles are shaped like the heads of lions with a draped cloth cascading down the side. The cooler’s neoclassical style, with its elegant form and elaborate details, exemplifies the refined tastes of the late 18th century.