Cup

Art Historical Context

This delicate hard-paste porcelain cup, created around 1740 at the Du Paquier factory in Vienna, represents one of Europe’s earliest successes in mastering the demanding technique of true porcelain production. Founded in 1718, the Viennese manufactory was only the second in Europe—after Meissen—to replicate the translucent strength of Chinese porcelain, a breakthrough that transformed courtly dining and collecting across the continent. Standing just under four inches tall, the cup’s modest scale belies the technical sophistication required to achieve its luminous white body and crisp form. Th...