Plate c. 18th century

This plate was created by an anonymous maker, and we do not know when it was made. Its survival, and its presence in this museum, raises questions about value. Pewter was a popular material for dishware in Europe and its colonies from the medieval period through the 18th century. It offered a more affordable alternative to silver, and examples survive in large numbers in museums and archaeological contexts. But unlike porcelain or silver, pewter is not often considered an art material. So how do we account for its presence in a museum collection? Looking closely, we can see marks of use. This was an everyday object. How does its display here transform it? Does it comment on the social structures of its own time? Is it self-consciously conservative or progressive? Does it critique the institutions of art? Historians might research probate records or conduct materials analysis to discover more about this object. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.