Soup ladle, Lisbon (city), 1813-1816
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1813-1816
Soup ladle in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (museum number WM.515-1997), made in Lisbon (city), dated 1813-1816, attributed to Sequeira, Domingos António de.
The museum's brief description reads: Silver soup ladle, 'Portuguese Service', designed by Domingos António de Sequeira, made in Lisbon, 1813-1816. Museum description: Silver soup ladle with reeded handle; bears the Wellesley crest surmounted by a ducal coronet within the orders of the Garter, the Golden Fleece, the Grand Order of the Bath and the Grâ-Cruz da Ordem Militar da Torre e Espada. The museum records it as Silver, measuring Length 16.25 in.
These details come from the museum's own record; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
This silver service was intended to glorify the Triple Alliance between Britain, Spain and Portugal and to celebrate their joint Victories against the French between 1808 and 1814. To the Portuguese, the Peninsular War was a war of Independence and this was their great gift to the man who had ensured its survival, the first Duke of Wellington. The service was designed and executed under the control of Domingos Antonio de Sequeira (1768 - 1837), court painter to Dona Maria I. As far as is known, Sequeira had never designed anything in silver before receiving the commission for the service and designed only two pieces of silver subsequently. Sequeira remained loyal to his constitutional principles and after Dom Jaoa VI abandoned the Constitution in 1823 he left Portugal and eventually settled in Rome where he died. His work is at its most creative and original during the Peninsular War. Although plans for the production of the service were well advanced by March 1811 the actual date when the decision was taken to present the service is unknown. The earliest evidence for Sequeira's involvement is a drawing dated 29th April 1812. By 1813 production was in full swing, partly in Sequeira's own house and partly in neighbouring workshops which had been specially rented. The bullion was supplied by the mint which obtained it by melting down coins. Progress on the project can be documented in detail through the State Archives and Sequeira's designs. The artist kept running into…
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Silver
- Dimensions
- Length 16.25 in
Technical characteristics
- Technique
- Silver
- Maker recorded
- Sequeira, Domingos António de
- Place recorded
- Lisbon (city)
Identification
- Museum object name
- Soup ladle
- Museum object number
- WM.515-1997
- Museum system number
- O116567
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm the wider type, maker and catalogue references against a specialist reference.