Hunting cup with cover 1736 - 1746

This ornate hunting cup and cover, made by the Meissen Manufactory, uses porcelain, a material that was then considered white gold. Its creation involved a labor-intensive process of molding, firing, and hand-painting. The cup’s flamboyant design is pure theatre. It displays a three-dimensional hunting scene, complete with hounds, a stag, and even a huntsman in elaborate costume. Porcelain lends itself to this kind of precise, detailed modeling, but it also speaks to a specific social context. Meissen porcelain was among the first produced in Europe, and it quickly became a symbol of status and wealth. The decoration gives us insight into courtly life during the 18th century, when hunting was a popular aristocratic pastime. But think about the labor required to produce such an object, from the mining of the raw materials to the artistry of the painting. The cup serves as a reminder of the complex relationship between luxury goods, artistic skill, and the social hierarchies of the time. It truly elevates the so-called decorative arts to the level of social commentary.