Cup (part of a coffee service) 1800 - 1815

This cup was made by the Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory in Germany, a company founded in 1747. The cup would have been part of a coffee service, reflecting the growing popularity of coffee consumption among the European elite. The cup’s decoration evokes classical antiquity, with a painted figure playing what look like panpipes. By the 18th century, the classical world was seen as representing the highest achievements of art and culture, so associating your possessions with that world was a way to claim a superior level of taste and refinement. Nymphenburg was one of many porcelain factories that sprang up across Europe in the 18th century, often with direct royal patronage. Porcelain was a luxury material, and its production and consumption was tied to the structures of courtly life. The cup, then, is not just a pretty object, but an index of social ambition. To learn more, look into the history of court culture and manufacturing in 18th century Europe.