Silver plaque - Singerie - Plaque - Silver

Silver-plated in the Singerie style (unmarked but tested).

This decorative style was very popular in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. In it, artists painted or carved monkeys dressed in human clothes and mimicking the behaviors and luxuries of society of the time.

The image shows a picnic or a galant fête in a garden. On the left, you can see a monkey wearing a hat seated on a bench and a "lady monkey" holding a fan. On the right, other monkeys play musical instruments (such as a cello and a lute). There is also a small dog in the center and music sheets on the ground.

This type of art served as good-natured satire. By placing monkey faces and bodies in aristocratic human poses, the artist mocked and ridiculed the vanity, excesses, and manners of high society.