Cup 19th century

This gilded cup was produced by Elkington & Co., a British firm renowned for its innovative metalwork. The piece features a heraldic lion, a symbol deeply entwined with British national identity, standing triumphantly over what seems to be a defeated dragon. In heraldry, lions embody courage, nobility, royalty, strength, and valor. The aesthetic draws from earlier Renaissance styles, reflecting the 19th-century passion for historical revivals, yet it also subtly reinforces Britain's imperial ambitions. What does it mean to glorify national identity at the expense of the ‘other’? What histories are being ignored or erased here? Such objects were potent symbols of wealth and power, adorning the homes of those who benefited most from the era’s colonial exploits. Think about the stories these objects tell, and more importantly, the ones they often leave out.