Cup
late 18th century
Medium
Hard-paste porcelain
Dimensions
Height: 3 13/16 in. (9.7 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Porcelain
Culture
French, Paris
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Alfred Duane Pell, 1902
Accession Number
02.6.270
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate cup from the late 18th century exemplifies the vibrant porcelain production of La Courtille, a Paris factory celebrated for its colorful, figurative ceramics. Crafted in hard-paste porcelain—a-fired, translucent material perfected by European makers to rival Chinese imports—the cup stands just under 4 inches tall, making it a charming piece for intimate gatherings or display. Produced during the final years of the Ancien Régime, it reflects the opulent decorative arts scene in pre-Revolutionary France, where factories like La Courtille catered to affluent tastes with whimsical, n...