"Much Ado About Nothing"
Leonard Morel-Ladeuil
(French, 1820–1888)
Leonard Morel-Ladeuil
(French, 1820–1888)
Elkington & Co.
(English)
1884
Object PlaceEngland
Medium/TechniqueSilver; damascened steel frame
DimensionsH. 45.7 cm (18 in.); W. 59 cm (23 1/4 in.); D. 1.5 cm (9/16 in.)
Credit LineTheodora Wilbour Fund in memory of Charlotte Beebe Wilbour and Gift of Wynyard R.T. Wilkinson
Accession number1995.85
On View
Not on viewClassificationsSilver
Collections
Trained in the Paris workshop of Antoine Vecht (1799-1869), a skilled chaser and expert in damascening, Morel-Ladeuil was one of a number of prestigious French artists hired by Elkington & Co. Ltd. for their design skills. This plaque depicts the marriage scene from "Much Ado About Nothing". There was a tremendous revival of Shakespeare's play in the London theatre at this time, and the scene represents the actual set of the Lyceum Theatre production of 1882.
InscriptionsEngraved on lower left: Morel-Ladeuil/Fecit 1884; on lower right: Elkington co.ProvenanceElkington & Co; 1973, sold by the firm; by 1995, with Wynyard R.T. Wilkinson, London; May 24, 1995, sold by Wynyard R.T. Wilkinson to the MFA. (Accession date: May 24, 1995)
probably 17th century
17th century
18th century
about 1850
About 1715–19