Ice cream cup (Tasse à glace) (part of a service)
Medium
Soft-paste porcelain
Dimensions
H. 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm.); L. 2 7/8 in. (7.3 cm.)
Classification
Ceramics-Porcelain
Culture
French, Sèvres
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Emma T. Gary, 1934
Accession Number
37.20.190
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate ice cream cup, known as a *Tasse à glace*, hails from the renowned Sèvres Manuf in France, crafted in 1771. Part of a larger service, this petite vessel—standing just 2½ inches tall and 2⅞ inches long—exemplifies the luxury porcelain produced at Sèvres, the royal factory favored by French aristocracy during the Ancien Régime. Adorned with floral motifs, it reflects the era's love for elegant, nature-inspired decoration on everyday indulgences like iced desserts. Made from soft-paste porcelain, a prized French innovation before the mastery of harder varieties, the cup showcases S...
About the Artist
Sèvres Manufactory · 1740–present
The Sèvres Manufactory, one of Europe's premier porcelain producers, was established in 1740 as the Manufacture de Vincennes under the patronage of Queen Marie Leszczyńska, who sought to rival Meissen and Chantilly porcelains with French soft-paste innovations. Initially a private venture, it relocated to Sèvres in 1756 in a purpose-built facility designed by architect Laurent Lindet near Madame d...