Caudle Cup
Cornelius Vanderburgh
c. 1683
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
8.9 × 22.9 × 15.2 cm (3 1/2 × 9 × 6 in.)
Classification
drinking vessel
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
83917
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Traditionally, a cup like this would have held a warm beverage known as caudle, a mixture of eggs, bread, oats, mulled ale or wine, milk, and spices. As indicated by its size, this cup was meant for use by a group, most likely at a special occasion where it could be passed around and its contents shared. It was probably made for the christening of Philip van Cortlandt (1683–1746) in 1683.