Cup (part of a service) 1765 - 1775

This porcelain cup, part of a larger tea service, was produced by the Frankenthal Porcelain Manufactory in Germany between 1765 and 1775. The cup features a delicate black and white painted scene of two birds perched on a branch amidst flowering foliage. The image likely draws inspiration from 18th-century Chinoiserie, a decorative art style that embraced Chinese and East Asian aesthetics. The cup's simple yet elegant form and its decorative motif reflect the taste for refined and delicate designs popular during the Rococo period. Today, the cup is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, a testament to the enduring appeal of European porcelain artistry.