Tea cup (part of a service) 1755 - 1765

This porcelain teacup, part of a service made by the Doccia Porcelain Manufactory in Italy between 1755 and 1765, is a fine example of the rococo style. The cup is decorated with a scene of Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, surrounded by mythical creatures and sea nymphs. The elegant, flowing lines of the handle and the delicate details of the scene are characteristic of the rococo period. The cup is now part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.