Beaker with Cover 1685 - 1700

This beaker with cover was made by Gottfried von Spiller, a German glassmaker, most likely in the late 17th or early 18th century. The deep red color, achieved through the addition of gold during the glassmaking process, would have been a statement of wealth. The beaker is decorated with figures from classical mythology. The presence of these pagan images tells us about a tension in European society at the time. In contrast to the strictures of the church, there was a growing interest in the pre-Christian past. Courtly society looked back to ancient Greece and Rome for models of behavior and aesthetic ideals. Looking closely at this object and others like it, we can learn a lot about the cultural codes and aspirations of the time. Museum collections and historical archives are invaluable resources for understanding art as something deeply embedded in social and institutional contexts.