Teacup and saucer

Teacup and saucer by Höchst Manufactory

Medium

Hard-paste porcelain

Dimensions

Diameter, saucer: 5 1/16 in. (12.9 cm) Overall, cup: 1 5/8 x 3 3/4 in. (4.1 x 9.5 cm)

Classification

Ceramics-Porcelain

Culture

German, Höchst

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Credit

Gift of Mercedes Bass, 2007

Accession Number

2007.243.18a, b

Tags

BirdsButterflies

Art Historical Context

Step into the elegant world of 18th-century European porcelain with this delicate teacup and sa from the Höchst Manactory, crafted around 1775. Produced in the German town of Höchst near Frankfurt, this hard-paste porcelain piece exemplifies rococo style's love for whimsy and refinement. Measuring a dainty 5 1/16 inches in saucer diameter and 15/8 x 3 3/4 inches for the cup, it was designed for intimate tea rituals, a fashionable social pastime among Europe's aristocracy. Höchst, founded in 1746, was a key player in Europe's porcelain race to rival China's coveted imports. Hard-paste porcelai...

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