Salver (one of a pair) 1703 - 1704

This silver salver was crafted by Andrew Moore, bearing witness to a time when symbols spoke volumes about lineage and power. Note the engraved coat of arms at its center, encircled by baroque foliage, a visual language proclaiming the commissioner’s status. The heraldic symbols, crowned with authority, echo motifs found in medieval tapestries and Renaissance frescoes, where family crests were badges of identity. Consider the stylized fleur-de-lis, a symbol of French royalty, which appears in different forms across Europe, each iteration carrying echoes of its origin while adapting to local contexts. These emblems are not mere decoration. They are vessels of collective memory, shaped by aspirations, anxieties, and the ever-shifting sands of history. The weight of tradition imbued in these symbols engages viewers on a subconscious level, stirring ancestral memories. The persistence of these symbols reveals a fascinating non-linear progression, a cyclical return of forms that are continually reinterpreted and imbued with new meaning, perpetuating a dialogue between past and present.