Loving cup 1772

Editor: Here we have Richard Williams' silver "Loving Cup" from 1772, currently housed at the Met. It's strikingly simple in form, but also feels ceremonial, almost like a chalice. What kind of symbolism can we unpack here? Curator: The loving cup, or friendship cup, as a form carries quite a bit of cultural memory. Passing it around signifies unity, shared experience, and mutual respect. And, naturally, a degree of trust, wouldn't you say? To imbibe from the same vessel. Editor: Absolutely. Especially thinking about our... heightened awareness of germs nowadays. Curator: Precisely! What is more, observe the engraved coat-of-arms. Can you identify any of the images contained on its shield? Editor: I see a lion, some fleur-de-lis... things that evoke nobility and heritage, I guess. Curator: Indeed. The lion, of course, embodies courage and strength. The fleur-de-lis have long signified French royalty and purity. These images placed on the silver elevate the object itself. What sort of collective or individual memories might such embellishments activate? Editor: Wealth and ancestry, probably. And a sense of established social standing. The families drinking from this are making more than a toast; they're reaffirming their belonging, perhaps? Curator: Exactly! And "Dat Deus Incrementum"--God Gives Increase"–reminds us that they attribute their successes to divine grace. And to being somehow chosen, blessed, or favoured. Silver itself reflects light, suggesting purity and value. Editor: That's so interesting. I had not even noticed the motto above the shield. Curator: Consider how it visually and conceptually completes the other emblems. It's a very effective articulation of self-identity, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Definitely. Now I see the loving cup as more than a beautiful object, but a powerful statement of identity.