Standing cup
Unknown Artist
first half 16th century
Medium
Rock crystal, silver
Dimensions
Height: 8 3/8 in. (21.3 cm)
Classification
Natural Substances-Rock Crystal
Culture
Northern Italian
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Friedsam Collection, Bequest of Michael Friedsam, 1931
Accession Number
32.100.235
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite Standing Cup, crafted in northern Italy during the first half of the16th century, exemplifies the Renaissance mastery of luxury decorative arts. Fashioned from rock crystal—a rare, translucent natural substance prized for its clarity and—the cup stands at an elegant 8⅜ inches tall. Its silver elements likely form ornate mounts or a base, enhancing both functionality as a drinking vessel and its status as a collector's treasure. Subtle engravings or carvings featuring animals and men evoke mythological or allegorical scenes, common in period luxury objects that blended utility wi...