Fuddling cup 1650 - 1675

This Fuddling cup was made by an anonymous artist, but when we consider the social context in which it was made, it can tell us a lot about the function of art. As the name suggests, the cup was used for drinking games in the 17th century in Europe. Each person had to drink from one of the cup's three spouts without spilling any of the contents, a task made difficult by the interconnectedness of the vessels. The object’s function is less about personal taste and more about facilitating communal activity. Drinking games and communal rituals have existed across cultures and throughout history. It is an example of folk art, made outside traditional institutions, and existing to serve a practical purpose. To learn more, consider researching the social history of drinking and communal rituals in 17th-century Europe. The study of art is not just about the object itself, but about understanding the society that produced it.