Cup with the Arms of Poland/Saxony and Naples/Sicily 1740 - 1752

This exquisite cup, crafted by the Meissen Manufactory, presents a fascinating interplay of power and pastoral idyll. Bands of ornate gilding frame its surface. They contrast with alternating panels, each presenting a different scene. On one side, armorial bearings under a crown dominate the composition. They signify the union of Poland/Saxony and Naples/Sicily. The heraldic emblems, meticulously rendered, speak to dynastic ambition and political maneuvering. They use symbolic language of power. Juxtaposed against this is a serene landscape. It presents a woman reclining amidst lush greenery. It evokes a sense of leisure and cultivated retreat. The cup embodies a tension. It is between the overt display of authority and the understated elegance of courtly life. This tension reflects the complex social dynamics of the time. The cup is not just a vessel. It is a symbolic object. Its carefully constructed design encapsulates the aspirations and ideologies of the European aristocracy.