{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O78721"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O78721/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM5203/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM5203/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AM5203","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O78721","accessionNumber":"ROYAL LOANS.981","objectType":"Centrepiece","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br>Table centrepieces were made from the 1730s onwards and were originally designed to support a central, shallow bowl and four or more circular dishes, each at the end of a 'branch'.  Each dish was used for serving fruit. By the mid-19th century, particularly as a result of the fashion for sculptural silver, table centrepieces had become largely ceremonial.<br><br><b>People</b><br>The sculptor Sir Alfred Gilbert (1854-1934) became active as a goldsmith from around 1887, applying his understanding of sculpture and detailed knowledge of casting techniques. Making the crown for the Winchester Jubilee monument (1887; Winchester Great Hall) to Queen Victoria (1819-1901) led him to teach himself goldsmithing techniques. This centrepiece (1887-1890), presented to Queen Victoria as a Golden Jubilee gift by officers of the combined military forces, was his most ambitious project on this scale.<br><br><b>Design & Designing</b><br>The exuberant form of the piece can probably be traced back to the work of 18th-century goldsmiths such as Paul de Lamerie (1688-1751) and Nicholas Sprimont (1716-1771). Gilbert probably saw examples of their work in the Royal Collection. Its overall design, however, with two projecting shell-shaped basins, is probably inspired by the early 17th-century fountains by Pietro Tacca in the Piazza del' Annunziata in Florence, Italy.","physicalDescription":"","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Silver, patinated and gilded, crystal and shell","categories":[],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2006AM5203"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"123","id":"THES49217"},"free":"","case":"CA3","shelf":"","box":"2"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Centrepiece","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"Commissioned 1887, completed 1890","earliest":"1887-01-01","latest":"1890-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Lent by His Majesty The King ","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"116","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"centrepiece","note":"dimensions taken for Art Nouveau exhibition"},{"dimension":"Width","value":"97","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"centrepiece","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"65","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"centrepiece","note":""},{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"47.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"23/01/2025","earliest":"2025-01-23","latest":"2025-01-23"},"part":"crystal","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions checked: measured; 20/04/2000 by LH","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Designed and made by Alfred Gilbert (born in London, 1854, died there in 1934)","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Centrepiece celebrating the golden jubilee","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Visit the Royal Collection Trust’s website for more information at www.rct.uk/collection "}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\nThis centrepiece was given by the officers of the combined military forces to Queen Victoria on her Golden Jubilee. It fittingly shows the figure of St George, patron saint of England, with Britannia, the personification of Britain, and the goddess of Victory on the top. Gilbert's best known work is the sculpture of Eros at Piccadilly Circus in London.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}}],"partNumbers":["ROYAL LOANS.981"],"accessionNumberNum":"981","accessionNumberPrefix":"ROYAL LOANS","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LN2276","2019LP3078","2019LR6283","2019LU9895"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-09-26","recordCreationDate":"2003-03-27","availableToBook":false}}