Communion Cup
Unknown Artist
1671–72
Medium
silver gilt
Dimensions
25.3 × 12.9 cm
Classification
Silver
Department
Decorative Art and Design
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Accession Number
1980.79
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This cup was produced shortly after the death of Oliver Cromwell (1599–1658), a leader of the English Civil War and Lord Protector of the British Isles from 1653 to 1658. An intensely religious man, Cromwell believed that the Reformation (1517–1648) failed to sufficiently eliminate Catholic beliefs and practices in Great Britain. The simplified shape and design of this vessel reflects his desire to visually differentiate Protestant communion cups from the chalices used by the Roman Catholic Chur...