Double cup 1700 - 1715

Curator: These delightful "Double Cups" were crafted from silver sometime between 1700 and 1715, placing them firmly within the Baroque period. The artisan, Johann Friedericus Schloeff, really embraced the decorative sensibilities of the era. Editor: They look like little silver whirlpools, don’t they? It’s as if Poseidon himself decided to downsize and mass-produce cups! I like the fluted pattern; it feels dynamic, despite being static objects. They just make you want to grab them, feel their heft, and then… well, fill them with something celebratory. Curator: Absolutely. The Baroque era, particularly in decorative arts, was known for its elaborate ornamentation and sense of movement. The twisting flutes certainly evoke a feeling of upward motion, almost as if the cups are perpetually swirling. Silver, as a material, further enhances the sense of luxury and status. These cups weren't meant for everyday use, I assure you. Editor: Right. Imagine using those at your messy breakfast table! These belong in a dimly lit, wood-paneled room, accompanying deep conversation and probably something ridiculously expensive and imported. But isn’t there something wonderfully contradictory about such extravagance? Two cups suggest intimacy, friendship... a shared moment. Yet, everything about them screams wealth. Curator: It's a common tension in art, and certainly within the context of the early 18th century. Social status was increasingly defined by material possessions, and objects like these “Double Cups” served to broadcast that status publicly. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where these reside, actively seeks out pieces that can elucidate the socio-economic complexities of their time. Editor: And you’re so right! To me they seem to shout ‘Look at my leisure time! Look at the lovely things I use during it!’ A strange pairing, I'm still chewing over it. Curator: Indeed, they are. Thank you for lending such an acute perception. Editor: My pleasure. It is hard to find beauty with any useful, and practical use. These cups capture it!