Ten Designs for Decorated Cups 1845 - 1855

Here we have Alfred Henry Forrester's "Ten Designs for Decorated Cups", a watercolor work on paper. The composition is neatly arranged, presenting a series of cup designs, each distinct yet unified by their shared form. The materiality of the watercolor gives a delicate, almost ephemeral quality to the designs. Forrester plays with a variety of motifs, colors, and patterns within these teacup templates. Bands of pink, green, and blue dominate, each adorned with classical motifs like laurel wreaths, swags, and stylized floral patterns. The negative space around the cups further isolates them, emphasizing their individual design elements. Each cup challenges fixed meanings by blending classical forms with personalized decoration, reflecting a broader artistic concern with adapting historical styles to modern tastes. These cups function as signs, echoing aspirations of elegance and refinement. They are a celebration of form and possibility.