Basin 1610 - 1611

This impressive basin was made by Symon Owen, an English goldsmith active in the early 17th century. Crafted from gilded silver, this object's surface is alive with decoration. Consider the sheer labor involved in creating such an object. Each detail was likely achieved through chasing and repoussé, techniques of hammering the metal from both sides to create relief patterns. Owen also probably used casting for the central boss and other elements. This level of skill indicates a long apprenticeship, marking Owen’s place within a hierarchy of labor. Objects like this served as status symbols, demonstrating wealth and taste. But they also raise questions about the social context of their production. Who mined the silver? Who processed it? The opulence of the finished product belies a complex web of extraction and manufacture. By attending to the material reality of the basin, and the human effort required to bring it into being, we can appreciate it not just as a beautiful object, but as a window into the economic and social world of its time.