Design for a Chalice with Lid 19th century

This is an anonymous design for a chalice with a lid, rendered in pen, ink, and watercolor on paper. Such a luxury object immediately brings up questions about its function and the social structures that enable its existence. The chalice, historically associated with religious ceremonies, also speaks to wealth and status through its precious materials and intricate design. This object, whatever the time and country of its manufacture, would surely have been commissioned by a wealthy individual or institution, perhaps a church or a royal court. The design’s visual codes—the precious metal, the lid which obscures the interior, and the arch-shaped presentation of the drawing itself— hint at exclusivity and power. The chalice may have been a symbol of religious authority, royal power, or both. To understand this design better, we’d need to delve into the religious and political history of its time. The resources of libraries and archives can reveal who commissioned similar objects, what purpose they served, and what social messages they conveyed. Art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.