Two-handled bowl 1663 - 1673

This two-handled bowl was made by Péter W. Kecskeméti in the late 17th century from gilded silver. Silver is soft, so shaping this bowl and its delicate dragon handles would have taken a master smith. The bowl's surface is intricately decorated using chasing and engraving. Notice the fine lines that define the dragons and the central medallion. This wasn't just decoration; it was a display of wealth and skill. Owning such a piece signaled status in a society increasingly defined by material possessions. Consider the labor involved in extracting, refining, and transforming silver into such an object. Artisans like Kecskeméti were highly skilled, but their work was also dependent on a global network of trade and extraction, tied to wider social issues of labor and consumption. The bowl's luxuriousness reflects a complex web of economic and social relationships. Looking closely at the materials and making of this bowl reminds us that even the most decorative objects have a story to tell about the world in which they were made.