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In this Forum we discuss the silver of the United Kingdom, as well as British Colonial silver and Old Sheffield Plate. Past British - Irish Sterling topics/threads worth a look. |
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In this Forum we discuss the silver of the United Kingdom, as well as British Colonial silver and Old Sheffield Plate. Past British - Irish Sterling topics/threads worth a look. |
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 SMP Silver Salon Forums
 British / Irish Sterling
 The Fuller Brooch
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| Author | Topic: The Fuller Brooch |
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June Martin Forum Master Posts: 1351 |
posted 08-09-2024 06:06 PM
  
The Fuller Brooch is a 9th century silver and niello brooch named after Captain A.W.F. Fuller who brought the brooch to the British Museum where it currently resides. Many attribute its influence to the Anglo-Saxon King Alfred the Great who reigned from 871 to 899 AD. King Alfred gained prominence after successfully repelling Viking armies that had battered his subjects for decades. In the peaceful period that followed, the king prepared for future attacks by strengthening his kingdom’s physical and spiritual defenses. It was during this time that many suspect the Fuller Brooch was forged to epitomize the relationship between man, nature and God. The inner circle of the brooch is divided into 5 sections with tunic-clad men each representing one of the senses. The sense of sight is the largest representation symbolic of the belief at the time that the eye was the most important organ for acquiring wisdom. Taste, in the upper left, has a hand to the mouth. Smell, in the upper right, holds his nose near a blossom. Touch, in the lower right, holds palms together. Hearing, in the lower left, raises a hand as if to cup behind the ear. There are 4 discrete sections surrounding the inner circle, a number that suggests seasonal renewal. Each section contains 4 designs – floral, bird, animal and human – suggesting the stages of creation in Genesis. Although small in size at about 4 ½ inches in diameter, this piece is brimming with iconography. It is one of the best preserved examples of Anglo-Saxon metalwork and the earliest known depiction of the five senses in art. The British Museum description of this object includes a fascinating account of the history of this piece. [This message has been edited by June Martin (edited 08-09-2024).] IP: Logged |
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