Cup by Anonymous

Artwork details

Medium
ceramic, porcelain, glass
Dimensions
1 7/8 x 3 1/8 x 3 1/8 in. (4.8 x 7.94 x 7.94 cm)
Location
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Copyright
Public Domain

Tags

#asian-art#ceramic#porcelain#glass#ceramic

About this artwork

This petite cup was made by an anonymous artist, using glass. Consider the objects we use every day: a cup, a bowl, a plate. Whose hands made them and under what conditions? This delicate cup exists as both an aesthetic object and a functional one. This invites questions about labor, class, and access. For whom was this cup made? Was it for everyday use or special occasions? The mottled pattern is a kind of abstraction. We are left to wonder if the maker sought to mimic naturally occurring patterns such as those found in stone? Without knowing the maker, the cup invites a quiet reflection on the global history of artisanal craft. It reminds us to be attentive to the stories behind everyday objects.

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