Hot water urn

1765–66

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 722

Tea was brewed in small silver or ceramic teapots. As it cooled or became bitter, a hostess could refresh the pot with hot water poured from a kettle or urn. While a kettle was kept hot with a lamp burning mineral spirits, urns had the advantage of a simple interior compartment that held a heated iron rod or block. The design of this vase-shaped vessel reflects an awareness of Classical forms, but the scrolling ornament is firmly rooted in the rococo.

Artwork Details

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Exhibition History

Title: Hot water urn
Maker: Louisa Courtauld (British, 1729–1807)
Date: 1765–66
Culture: British, London
Medium: Silver, ivory
Dimensions: confirmed: 21 5/8 × 11 5/8 × 11 5/8 in. (55 × 29.5 × 29.5 cm)
Base at ball and claw feet: 6 3/4 × 6 3/4 in. (17.1 × 17.1 cm)
Classification: Metalwork-Silver
Credit Line: Gift of Madame Lilliana Teruzzi, 1966
Object Number: 66.192.1a–c
Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

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