Event 2 - The Fowler Museum

This ship was created in Germany in the 1800s

On April 24th, I visited the Fowler Museum on the UCLA Campus. While the whole museum incorporates themes of science, technology, and art, I found the exhibit highlighting various works of silver from the 16th and 17th centuries most fascinating. Although it doesn't include the rapidly advancing technology that we are seeing currently, these works model the most advanced silver-working techniques of these ages, and reveal where investment and importance were placed during these times.

I have always been interested in themes of royalty, ornateness, "Old Money," etc. and this exhibit showcased works of silver, in various forms and fashions, that reveal those themes. In European society at that time, it was important to display your wealth, and silver was a common method of storing accumulated capital. These beautiful sculptures and silverware were created to be used and were all functional for use at dinner parties and more. The junction of wealth, artistry, and the finest technologies available created these truly incredible works.

Some friends and I at the Fowler Museum

The giant silver boat pictured at the top is on wheels, and was originally manufactured in Germany in the 19th century. The galleon appears to be sailing under French coats of arms, and the men aboard are dressed in reach court costumes of the 18th century. The intricacy and detail in this piece are incredible, and it was likely prominently displayed in a buffet setting on a German Lord's table. In fact, this ship also serves as a bottle caddy, and can hold several bottles at once. The wheels on the boat were used to travel from one end of the table to the other to deliver wine to different guests. The luxurious nature of the wealthy Europeans of this time is exemplified in this boat, and shows how artists and scientists can work together to produce items of beauty and use.

These spoons represent each of the 12 Apostles

The spoons pictured to the right depict human figures on their stems, and each of these spoons represents a specific Christian Apostle. There are 13 spoons in total: 1 being Jesus and the other 12 being the Apostles (with Matthias replacing Judas). If you look closely, you can see that each figure holds items that would typically be associated with them. For example, Jesus holds a cross, while Peter holds a rock (for he was said to be the Rock that the Church would be built on). The artistry is clear in these spoons, and the silversmiths of that time had to work with the artist who created them in order to achieve that level of detail and intricacy. I really enjoyed looking at all the figures and reading about why the objects they were holding or wearing mattered so much to the people using them. Often, these kind of spoons will be given as christening gifts, as it was believed that babies who were fed with silver spoons would not ever be poor.

I would recommend this exhibit to any history buff, silver-enthusiast, or anyone who likes do dine in fancy places. It was intriguing to see how royalty and nobles had their parties, and what properties and abilities people thought that silver had. All of this was achieved through the cooperation of many artists and many more scientists, who understood the delicate working techniques which silver requires. I thoroughly enjoyed this exhibit and believe it to be a fine collection of historically significant artifacts.

Exhibition Link: http://fowler.ucla.edu/exhibitions/reflecting-culture