Two-handled cup 1764 - 1765

Curator: Up next, we have a silver two-handled cup by Sebastian Crespell, residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Immediately I'm struck by its frosty elegance—it seems like a vessel lifted straight from a winter fairy tale. Curator: The eye is immediately drawn to the detailed engravings, quite ornate don't you think? Almost heraldic. Editor: Indeed, the symmetry is impeccable. And the reflective surface—it blurs the line between object and environment. It's pure formalism. Curator: It’s tempting to imagine the stories this cup could tell, all the celebrations it must have witnessed. I can almost feel the weight of it. Editor: Its material presence is undeniable. Note how the light plays on the curves of the handles. Curator: I’ll remember this piece for its ability to evoke such a sense of history and occasion. Editor: And I for its captivating play of light and form—a study in structural perfection.