Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 14. (Budapest, 1994)

ÁCS Piroska: Aranyszelence IV. György angol király udvarából

that he worked after a design. Taking into consideration the history of the company and the characteristics of the figures, our opinion is that the design is the work of John Flaxman (1755-1826) sculptor, illustrator and art writer. After the death of William Theed, sculptor, partner in the company and art maneger, Flaxman became the art advisor.

28 He markedly Neo-Classic style - also present in this work - can be explained partly from his career, partly from personal attraction.

2y It was a characteristic feature of goldsmith's art in the Regency period (1800— 1830)

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" that designers of the great workshops came from the ranks of artists working is some other field: architects, painters or sculptors. Donor and the one donated to - the occasion We know that the object under investigation is linked to King George IV, and that its original owner was Pál Antal Esterházy. He spent a long time as a diplomat, his career began in London is 1806 where he worked as secretary. After having performed a number of other tasks,

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'in 1815 he was appointed ambassador to London. During his years of duty he enjoyed the full confidence of George IV, later that of William IV and finally that of Queen Victoria. We do not know, however, the exact circumstances under which the box was donated, and therefore must rest content with a supposition. Each year, on the anniversary of the Battle at Waterloo,

32 the king gave a dinner at Windsor Castle for the representatives on his one-time allies, Austria, Russia and Prussia. At the end of the dinner, ambassadors were given presents. One such might have been our casket well. This supposition seems to be reinforced on the one hand by the theme of its representation and by the inscription "London June 1829" on the other. This must have been the last occasion on which the king could make a gesture of this kind, since a year later he died.