Cup and Saucer (One of a Pair)
Classification
ceramics
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Morris Hawkes
Accession Number
1942-25-20-a,c
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This delicate cup and saucer, of a pair crafted by the renowned Sèvres Porcelainufactory in France around 1775–1776, exemplifies the pinnacle of 18th-century European ceramics. Established in 1756 under royal patronage, Sè became synonymous with luxury porcelain, favored by Louis XV and Louis XVI for its technical innovation and opulent designs. During this late Rococo to early Neoclassical period, the manufactory produced exquisite tableware for aristocracy and diplomacy, blending fine hard-paste porcelain with intricate gilding, painted motifs, and jewel-like enamels. As part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection—generously gifted by Mrs. Morris Hawkes—this piece highlights transatlantic cultural exchange. Sèvres porcelain symbolized refined taste and technological prowess, with pieces often customized for elite clientele. Though details of its specific decoration await further research, it invites us to imagine intimate moments of 18th-century sociability, where such finery elevated everyday rituals like tea-drinking into artful performances. (178 words)