Kiddush (sanctification) cup c. 1961

This Kiddush cup was made by an anonymous artist, sometime in the past. I imagine the maker, hunched over their workbench, coaxing this shiny, reflective surface into being. I can almost feel the coolness of the metal against my skin. What were they thinking as they hammered and shaped the silver? I love how the surface is smooth and clean, but also alive with tiny marks and imperfections. It’s a reminder that even the most polished surfaces bear witness to the hand that made them. The symmetry and shine of the cup almost seem to have the quality of a painting by Agnes Martin or Robert Ryman. It’s as if the artist is trying to reduce everything to its essence, to get to the heart of what makes a cup a cup. We don’t know who made this cup, but it connects us to a tradition of craft and artistry that stretches back centuries. And that's something worth raising a glass to!