Cuppa, gedecoreerd met twee friezen c. 1500 - 1598

This image is a design for a cup, decorated with two friezes, made by an anonymous artist. The image speaks to the decorative arts and the broader cultural context of design and craftsmanship. Visual codes in the image, such as the symmetrical layout, and the cherubic figure in the centre, reflect the cultural values of order and harmony. The presence of botanical motifs speaks to the relationship between humans and nature, and the ways in which the natural world has long served as a source of inspiration for artists and designers. To fully understand this work, historians consult pattern books, guild records, and period accounts of design and craftsmanship. The meaning of this image, like all art, is contingent on its social and institutional context.