The Silversmith's Art: Edimburgh
10/20/15 • Written by Julianne
Today was another of the surprises that delight when traveling in a wandering way. I am in Edinburgh on a cool but beautifully sunny day. A stop at the National Museum of Scotland brought me into an exhibit of British silversmiths. My eyes are filled with beauty.
The Silversmith's Art displays the work of about 60 individual silver and other metal craftspeople and seven bespoke silver craft companies. The Worshipful Society of Goldsmiths, the original goldsmiths guild from 1427, has undertaken to collect the work of contemporary silver artists in Britain and assists the artists with access to markets and commissions. Some of the artists interviewed reflect that their work has emerged from the 19th and 20th C. Arts and Crafts Movement, appreciating the guild assistance to promote respect for individual craftsmanship. A theme of the exhibit is that the Silver Craft Movement is a uniquely British contribution in the art world.
For me, it was an unexpected pleasure. I had gone to the museum to see the Scottish history and industry galleries which were wonderful too. A turn too far and I was drawn right in by the piece by Jane Short shown at the top of the post, Millennium Dish. It is about 18" across, engraved silver around the rim, enameled in the middle.
This bowl by Hiroshi Suzuki is about 12" across the top. It is a double-skinned bowl made with hammered outer and polished inner layers.
The bottle in the same case is also by him using the hammered plate technique.
Beakers are about 4" tall. Jane Short did the enamel and gold foil outside design. Michael Appleby created the beakers themselves using hammered silver.
Bowl, by Michael Lloyd, is about 15" across. It is hand-raised and engraved, inlaid with gold. The inside is gold, the stand is forged silver. It was a presentation to a person who had headed the National Trust so the wording is in appreciation of the work that the Trust does to preserve historical and national sites.
