Teacup (one of 8) (part of a service)
ca. 1758–69
Medium
Soft-paste porcelain
Dimensions
Overall (.22): 1 7/8 × 3 in. (4.8 × 7.6 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Porcelain
Culture
British, Chelsea
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Francis P. Garvan, in memory of Francis P. Garvan, 1954
Accession Number
54.163.22
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate teacup, one of eight from a porcelain service crafted by the renowned Chelsea Porcelain Manuf in Britain around 1758–69, exemplifies the height of 18th-century ceramics. Produced in Chelsea, London, during the factory's prestigious "Gold Anchor" period it measures a dainty 1 7/8 × 3 inches and is made of soft-paste porcelain glassy, translucent material blending clay with ground glass or soapstone, fired at lower temperatures than true-paste porcelain from China or Saxony. This innovation allowed British makers to rival imported luxuries, showcasing intricate modeling and vibrant...
About the Artist
Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory · 1744–1784
**Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory** The Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory, Britain's pioneering porcelain enterprise, was founded around 1743 in Chelsea, London, by two Huguenot silversmiths: Nicholas Sprimont from Liège and Charles Gouyn. Sprimont, trained in Paris as a goldsmith before immigrating to England, brought his expertise in luxury metalwork to the venture, while Gouyn handled early sales th...