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Article: Rococo silver in Europe.
- Article from:
- The Magazine Antiques
- Article date:
- January 1, 1995
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1995 Brant Publications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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As a material, silver is closely compatible with several aspects of the rococo style. Its ductility makes it especially appropriate for creating the smoothly curving forms, often minimally supported, that constitute a major element of the rococo vocabulary. It is able to mimic in detail the structure of plants and animals, either by casting directly from nature (as was frequently done with shells and shellfish) or casting from sculptors' models of wax or plaster. Perhaps the most important quality of silver is its colorless, reflective surface. The evanescence of the surface allows silver objects to merge with their surroundings, absorbing the colors around them and, by ...