Cup and saucer

Art Historical Context

This delicate cup and saucer, by the prestigious Royal Porcelain Manuf in Berlin between 1803 and 1810, exemplifies the height of early 19th-century European porcelain artistry. Designed with input from the renowned neoclassical painter Angelicaauffmann, it features hard-paste porcelain—a technically advanced medium prized for its durability, transluc, and ability to rival fine china from Asia. Measuring just 2⅞ inches tall for the cup and 5¾ inches across the saucer, these everyday objects were elevated to luxury status through intricate painting and gilding. The decoration draws from the timeless myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, capturing the tragic love story from Greek mythology where Orpheus descends to the underworld to reclaim his beloved, only to lose her forever with a fateful glance back. Kauffmann's neoclassical style infuses the scene with elegant lines, soft colors, and emotional depth, reflecting the era's fascination with classical antiquity amid the Napoleonic upheavals. Produced in Berlin, a hub of royal patronage, such pieces were coveted by Europe's elite. A gift to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1894, this set highlights porcelain's role as a canvas for high art, blending functionality with storytelling. Visitors will appreciate how it bridges daily life and ancient legend in a single, shimmering sip.

About the Artist

Angelica Kauffmann|Royal Porcelain Manufactory, Berlin · 1741–1807

Swiss painter and etcher, and one of the few women artists of the time working in the Neo-Classical style to specialize in both portraits and subject pictures. Her famous sitters include the family of George III in Britain, Grand-Duke Paul and Prince Nikolay Yusupov in Russia, Stanislav II Poniatowski and Stanislav Kostka Potocki in Poland, Queen Caroline of Naples and Emperor Joseph II of Austria...