Cup 1755 - 1775

This delicate porcelain cup was made in Lowestoft, England, around the late 18th century. Notice the stylized floral motifs rendered in black ink that suggest the influence of Chinese porcelain. The image of flowers in vases, bridges and stylized rocks evoke classical garden scenes, symbols of prosperity, harmony, and cultivated beauty. The garden appears in various forms across cultures, like the Persian gardens of paradise or the enclosed hortus conclusus in medieval art, each reflecting a desire for a controlled, idealized nature. This Lowestoft cup connects to a long tradition while incorporating elements of Chinese aesthetics, subtly altered by the collective memory and artistic interpretations of its makers. Such objects remind us of the fluid, cyclical nature of symbols, always in flux, echoing across time and cultures.