Standing cup with cover 1585 - 1899

This standing cup with cover was crafted by Vinzenz Hofer in the 16th century. Its gleaming silver form is richly decorated with enamel. The eye is immediately drawn to the cup's verticality and the intricate detailing across its surface. The cup is structured in distinct tiers, from its circular base to the figure adorning the cover. Each section offers a contrast in texture and form. The cup's body features the figure of Justitia set against a vibrant enamel background, framed by ornate silverwork. This central image sits atop a pedestal densely packed with decorative motifs. The visual language employed here is that of power and status. Hofer uses the verticality and symmetry of the cup to suggest a sense of order, but this is destabilized by the cup's elaborate ornamentation. This speaks to a broader tension within Renaissance art between classical ideals of harmony and the exuberance of decorative excess. The cup stands as a testament to the complex interplay between form and function, structure and decoration. The intricate details invite ongoing interpretation.