Cup 1720 - 1735

This small cup was made by the Meissen Manufactory and now resides at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The eye is immediately drawn to the delicate, monochromatic painting. Figures, flora, and decorative elements interplay across its surface, set against the stark, clean porcelain. Consider the structure here. The cup's circular form is cleverly divided by painted panels. Each panel, framed by curvilinear motifs, presents a distinct vignette. The artist's delicate brushstrokes lend a sense of depth and movement, despite the limited palette. There is a subtle tension between the cup’s three-dimensional form and the two-dimensional images adorning it. This interplay challenges our perception, blurring the lines between object and image, function and decoration. In this light, we can view the cup not merely as a vessel, but as a canvas, where the boundaries of form and representation are playfully explored.