Cup 

This is a print of a cup by Wenzel Jamnitzer, an artist working in the 16th century. The cup is an ornate object, reflecting the Renaissance era's values and the status of its owner. The intricacies of the design speak to the era's increasing focus on opulence and refinement. It’s difficult for us to imagine an object so precious, used in the everyday. The materiality of the cup is interesting: whose hands would craft, own, and use such an item? Its existence prompts us to consider the socio-economic structures of the time, of the intersections between art, labor, and wealth. This cup is both a celebration of beauty, and a reflection of power dynamics. It encourages questions about who gets to create, who gets to own, and what stories these objects silently tell us about the world of then, and of now.