Cup thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 136, The Curtain Foundation Gallery

Cup

1662-1722 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Small porcelain cups like this one were commonly exported to Europe from China from the late 17th century and throughout the 18th century. From the 1680's European aristocrats displayed porcelain crammed into small rooms called 'cabinets'. This cup was previously in the collection of Augustus the Strong of Saxony (d.1733). He delighted in Chinese porcelain and his vast collection numbered over 21.000 pieces. Such large collections would have been displayed in grand halls rather than 'cabinets'.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Porcelain, thrown, painted in underglaze cobalt blue, glazed and fired
Brief description
Cer, China, Qing, underglaze blue decorated porcelain cup with café au laît glaze.
Physical description
Small porcelain wine cup with underglaze blue decorated interior; trees in the interior well and a double line below the rim. The exterior is glazed with a very shiny brown glaze commonly known as a café au laît glaze. The cup has a short foot and steeply rising sides, widening towards the top to a slightly everted rim.
Dimensions
  • Height: 4cm
  • Diameter: 7.5cm
Styles
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
N=248 (This mark is an inventory number that was assigned to this cup when it was in the collection of Augustus the Strong of Saxony (d.1733).)
Credit line
Given by Mr P. H. D. S. Wikramaratna, in memory of his wife Nancy
Object history
Previously in the collection of Augustus the Strong of Saxony (d.1733)
Subject depicted
Summary
Small porcelain cups like this one were commonly exported to Europe from China from the late 17th century and throughout the 18th century. From the 1680's European aristocrats displayed porcelain crammed into small rooms called 'cabinets'. This cup was previously in the collection of Augustus the Strong of Saxony (d.1733). He delighted in Chinese porcelain and his vast collection numbered over 21.000 pieces. Such large collections would have been displayed in grand halls rather than 'cabinets'.
Collection
Accession number
FE.37-2008

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
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