Drawing for Centerpiece and Salt Cellars 1700 - 1800

This anonymous drawing from the 17th or 18th century is a design for a silver centerpiece with salt cellars. The drawing depicts a large, ornate centerpiece with two smaller salt cellars on either side. The centerpiece features a central bowl raised on a scrolled base with a decorative motif of a female head. The salt cellars are also intricately decorated with a bulbous body and a domed top. The artist used pen and ink to create the drawing, which has been tinted with watercolor to give it a sense of depth and texture. This design is a classic example of the elaborate and decorative styles of silverwork that were popular during this period. The design was likely intended to be used by a silversmith to create a real centerpiece and salt cellars. It is currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.