Cup (part of a coffee service) 1800 - 1815

This porcelain cup, part of a coffee service, was crafted at the Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory. Adorning its surface is a figure reminiscent of Cupid, playfully brandishing what appears to be a bundle of arrows and a torch. The figure echoes classical depictions of Cupid, the god of love, whose arrows could ignite passion or inflict heartbreak. But this image carries the torch, not of illumination, but perhaps of destruction. The figure resonates with motifs seen across epochs. The cup reminds me of frescoes from Pompeii depicting similar playful figures. Note how the Nymphenburg artist adopts these ancient themes, adapting them for a new era. The image is like a dream, where symbols blend and shift. This Cupid, with his ambiguous intent, engages us on a subconscious level. The image hints at love's inherent duality and the interplay between creation and destruction. It serves as a potent reminder of the cyclical nature of human experience, where these symbols continue to resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings.