Tureen with cover 18th century

This is William Homer's silver tureen with cover. Homer was a prominent London silversmith during the 18th century, a period of immense social stratification and colonial expansion. This tureen wasn't just a vessel for soup; it reflected the power dynamics of its time. Silverware like this was a display of wealth, a visual marker separating the elite from the laboring classes. The elaborate ornamentation speaks to the fashion for opulence, but also to the exploitation of resources and labor that made such luxury possible. Think about the lives of those who mined the silver, often in brutal conditions, to create this object of beauty. The tureen invites us to consider the relationship between aesthetics, social status, and the hidden histories embedded within everyday objects.