Standing cup with cover
late 16th century and 19th century
Medium
Silver gilt, glass, enamel, diamonds, rubies
Dimensions
Height (with cover): 12 1/8 in. (30.8 cm)
Classification
Glass-Painted
Culture
German, Nuremberg and Austrian, Salzburg
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
32.100.297a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite standing cup with cover, crafted the renowned Nuremberg goldsmith Vinzenz Hofer in the late 16th century later 19th-century additions, exemplifies the opulent decorative arts of Renaissance Germany and Austria. Hailing from Nuremberg and Salzburg—key centers for intricate metalworking—the piece stands 12⅛ inches tall and gleams with silver gilt, painted enamel glass panels, and sparkling diamonds and rubies. Such lavish materials were reserved for the elite, symbolizing wealth and status at banquets or as cherished heirlooms. The cup's painted glass elements, a hallmark of the ...