Cup with cover
Unknown Artist
17th century
Medium
Silver, nut
Dimensions
Height: 6 in. (15.2 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Silver In Combination
Culture
probably Dutch
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Frederic Ashton de Peyster, 1946
Accession Number
46.33.1a, b
Art Historical Context
This elegant *Cup with Cover*, crafted in the 17th century an unknown artist, exemplifies the exquisite metalwork of the Dutch Golden Age. Standing at a modest 6 inches (.2 cm) tall, it combines shimmering silver with a natural nut element—likely a coconut shell, a prized exotic import reflecting the Netherlands' vast trade networks. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of European Sculpture and Decor Arts, this piece was generously gifted by Frederic Ashton de Peyster in 6. In an era of booming prosperity from global commerce, such silver-mounted cups were luxury items for t...