The early silversmiths' work of Spain shows many outside influences. In the second half of the 15th century artists came from Lombardy and South Germany and introduced new features in decoration. Spain is now singularly poor in early domestic silver. Some ornate shallow dishes were common in Spain and Portugal in the 16th century. For about 5o years from I59o, a small and characteristic ewer was made, mostly at Toledo. A common decoration of silver of the early 17th century are little enamelled plaques. Filigree work was popular in the r7th century. The Baroque taste prevailed in Spain and Portugal, as did the later French decoration. A notable atelier was founded in Madrid in 1778 by D. Antonio Martinez, who favoured severe classical designs.
In the reign of Emanuel I. (1495-1521) Portu guese work was infected by the national style in architecture, called Arte Manuelina. Of this style is the celebrated early 16th century gold and enamelled monstrance of Belem (in the National Museum at Lisbon), by the Lisbon goldsmith, Gil Vicente, from a design by Garcia de Rezende. Some 16th century silver and some 17th century basins are very elaborate. The influence of French decoration of the i8th century, superimposed on the national taste in decoration, is marked. English silver was copied by Portuguese silversmiths after the Methuen treaty of 1703 and in the early r9th century imitations of London marks were not infrequently stamped.
Holland in the r7th century was rich in domestic silver. Many of the old gilds were provided with silver, some of which is in the Rijks Museum at Amsterdam. Adam van Vianen (c. 1555-1627) of Utrecht introduced a new decoration in silver which profoundly affected Dutch silversmiths' work for 5o years and spread to England and Germany. His brother, Paul. entered the service of the emperor Rudolph II. at Prague and there executed the superb ewer of jasper and gold, now at Vienna. Adam van Vianen, the younger, is chiefly known for his designs for silver (published 1892). Christian van Vianen visited England and made plate for Charles I. Next to the van Vianen family, the most prominent goldsmith of the 17th century was Johannes Lutma, the elder, of Amsterdam, a few of whose works are in the Rijks Museum.
Typical objects in silver are the wine-glass holder (beker schroef), the windmill cup (molenbeker) and the brandewijnkom, for brandy and raisins. "Still-life" pictures of the 17th century are interesting for the silver vessels they depict. Important silver was made in most of the other old towns of Holland in the r7th and 18th centuries. French taste of the 18th century in
silver and furniture spread to Holland.
Denmark and Norway are noted for the great number of silver-mounted drinking horns of the i4th and 15th centuries. Distinctive beakers and tankards were common from the 16th century. The "peg" tankard of Denmark was made by English silversmiths, mostly at York, between about 1650 and 169o. The influence of French of the 18th century and the First Empire ornament on Danish and Norwegian domestic silver is manifest, as is also in a less degree that of English designs of the 18th century.
Domestic silver was extensively wrought in Sweden in the 17th century, much of it in the German taste. The beaker and the tankard were popular. Characteristic of Swedish silversmiths is the filigree work of about 1675-1725. In Sweden as in Norway, a charming old custom is commemorated by the silver bridal crowns, preserved in churches. French decoration prevailed here as elsewhere.
Flemish pictures and illuminated manu scripts afford a glimpse of the sumptuous vessels in daily use in Flanders, including the popular beaker. The only known work by Gerard Loyet is the famous gold reliquary (1466-67), in Liege cathedral. At Antwerp, the most important centre of the gold smiths' art in Belgium in the r6th century, was made in 1558-59 the historic "Charles V." ewer and basin (in the Louvre). Ex cellent plate was executed in the French style in Belgium in the i8th century.
As early as the 14th century, Russian workers under Greek influence began to cover the figures of icons with a plate (riza) of silver. The most conspicuous Russian silver domestic vessel in the i6th and 17th centuries is the drinking cup (bratina). Many are enriched with inscriptions in highly decorative Slavonic lettering called Vyaz, conveying a toast or sentiment or welcome.
One of the most precious (at Vienna) is of solid gold, enriched with gems and enamel, and was the gift of the tsar Michael to Vladislaus IV. (1632-48), king of Poland. Another popular vessel from the r6th to the i8th centuries was the kovsh, used for dispensing drinks. One of gold is in the "Green Vaults" at Dresden. The third characteristic Russian vessel is the charka, a small cup, generally fitted with a single handle, for drinking strong liquors or for brandy. Many are wholly of precious metal, while others are of rock crystal, ivory, coral, and amber, cornelian and other semi-precious stones, mounted in gold and richly enamelled. One other vessel is the bowl of the 17th century, decorated with painted enamel.