Although pewter objects are widespread within decorative arts and an integral part of European cultural history, they have nonetheless been largely forgotten. At its branch venue in Schloss Köpenick, Berlin’s Kunstgewerbemuseum (Museum of Applied Arts) is showing a special exhibition that traces the use of pewter from the Middle Ages to Art Nouveau. Including some 100 artworks, it illuminates not only the development from sacred objects to everyday items, but also the complex use of the material in the art of furniture-making.
One of the most prominent exponents of this “boulle” furniture was cabinetmaker Johann Daniel Sommer, who practised his craft in Künzelsau, Württemberg, in the late 17th century. His furniture combines tortoiseshell, horn and pewter into a décor evincing an affinity to both painting and goldsmithing.