Cup and Saucer

Art Historical Context

This delicate cup and sa, crafted by the renowned Derby Porcelain Manactory between 1780 1795, exemplifies height of English porcelain artistry the late 18th. Derby, one of leading factories after pioneers like Chelsea and Worcester specialized in soft-paste porcelain refined material blending clay, ground glass (frit), and other ingredients to achieve a translucency prized for elegance over the harder French hard-paste. The piece showcases masterful polychrome enamels, vibrant overglaze colors applied and fired at low temperatures for intricate floral or scenic motifs, paired with lavish gilding that highlights edges and handles for a luxurious sheen. Measuring just 6.3 × 6.7 cm for the cup, it was designed as a refined drinking vessel, likely for tea or coffee—beverages that defined genteel British social rituals in the Georgian era. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Department of Applied Arts of Europe, this saucer and cup set reflects porcelain's role as a status symbol, bridging fine art and everyday luxury while fueling the Anglo-mania for Continental-inspired tableware. A testament to Derby's innovation, it invites visitors to appreciate the fusion of technical precision and ornamental beauty.

About the Artist

Derby Porcelain Manufactory · 1751–1785

The Derby Porcelain Manufactory stands as one of the foundational institutions of British ceramic art, producing some of the finest figures and tablewares made in England during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Its origins can be traced to the work of André Planché, a Huguenot immigrant from Saxony who settled in Derby around 1745 and began producing soft-paste porcelain figures and ...