For several months, the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London will exhibit our silver ewer, that belonged to Peter Paul Rubens, in its Silver Gallery. The presentation will take place whilst the Rubens House in Antwerp, where the ewer is usually kept, is closed for renovation.

A key piece of Antwerp silverware

Made by Theodoor I Rogiers c. 1635-36, the ewer is part of a ceremonial ensemble that is considered a major work of 17th century Antwerp silverware and was listed by the Flemish Government in 2005. Having once belonged to Peter Paul Rubens, the ensemble remained in the family’s possession for almost four centuries. Rubens may even have participated in the design of this beautiful work of art. The fountain depicted on the basin is quite possibly a copy of that in Rubens’s garden, whilst the representations of Venus and Suzanne were also favourite figures for Rubens. This silver ensemble testifies to the close dialogue that existed between the decorative arts and painting in Antwerp during the 17th century.

Generous patrons

It is thanks to the generosity of two patrons, Sir Pierre Bauchau and his wife, who acquired the ensemble at an auction in Monaco and donated them to the King Baudouin Foundation, that these masterpieces are now part of our public collections. They were subsequently returned to their place of origin: the Rubens House in Antwerp. In accordance with the donors’ wishes, the silver ewer and basin are regularly shown in national and international exhibitions. They were recently exhibited, for instance, at the Condé Museum at the Château de Chantilly.

A place in the famous Silver Gallery

The presentation of this masterpiece of Antwerp silverware at the Victoria and Albert Museum continues in this tradition of travel to various exhibitions, here providing it with exceptional visibility at one of the world’s most important collections of decorative arts. The ewer is on show to the public in the Silver Gallery, where it sits alongside items of British silverware dating from the 17th to 20th centuries, including works by famous silversmiths such as Paul Storr and Hester Bateman, as well as works by leading designers and other ceremonial tableware.