Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Paul de Lamerie

For well over 250 years Paul de Lamerie (1688 – 1751)  has been universally considered not only one of the most important English goldsmiths, but among the most important English craftsmen of all time.

His extraordinary works range from the elegant simplicity of the Queen Anne style to the elaborate rococo style for which he is most remembered.

It was de Lamerie who was one of the first to incorporate French rococo design with English silver, raising his art to a standard that had never before been seen, nor since duplicated.

In 1703 Paul was apprenticed to Pierre Platel  from which he learnt the art of working in silver and gold.

De Lamerie entered his first mark at the Goldsmiths’ Hall in 1712.

Although De Lamerie presumably received a number of Royal commissions in the course of his career (was made goldsmith to the King in 1716), he was never appointed to the coveted post of Royal Goldsmith.

.Although inspired by the work of other masters he was always able to maintain and express his own thoughts through his mastery of detail and craftsmanship.