Assembly of the centrepiece, showing the transition from the savoury course to the dessert course.

The surtout or centrepiece first appeared in France around 1700. As its name suggests, it was the centrepiece of the table display. Called a ‘machine’, it had a double function. As well as candlesticks, it included a tureen and cruet stands for the service of the savoury, and caster stands and dishes for dessert.

Featured in the V&A exhibition Baroque: Style in the Age of Magnificence.

Art Direction: Land Design Studio
Filmed by Mara Colombo and Simona Piantieri
By courtesy of Leeds Museums and Galleries
(Temple Newsam House)