Collection cup 1713 - 1753

Curator: Allow me to introduce this fascinating piece—a collection cup fashioned from silver between 1713 and 1753. It currently resides at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Editor: Right away, I'm struck by how… reserved it feels. Almost severe for a cup of this age. It has these dainty Baroque handles, but the overall shape is so restrained. Is that just me? Curator: Well, while bearing certain baroque influences, the reserved feeling might stem from its function. These cups were employed for collecting alms, and they embody the complex intersection of piety and social stratification during the period. A baroque but ultimately practical implement in public space. Editor: Ah, interesting! Like, "We're ornate, but efficient in the dispensing of charity.” Curator: Precisely! Its materiality further underlines this dichotomy; the inherent preciousness of silver, often embellished to ostentatious degree, serves to both communicate wealth and to elevate this collection. It certainly reminds of institutional power. Editor: I can definitely feel that tension, thinking of the politics of asking. This also gives the inscription an important place within that historical context. "JESTIN," huh? A family name, or… ? Curator: Yes. We believe it references the Jestin family. Silverware, as you might know, provided opportunities to memorialize a family name. Think of the importance attached to legacies. This cup then can become read as not just a functional but profoundly representational object of historical import. Editor: It almost feels too heavy to hold, metaphorically speaking. There is something melancholy that comes from this idea of memorializing a legacy through silverware during such times of disparity. Still a beautiful thing though, as a singular sculpture with so much complexity and depth within it. Curator: Indeed, a sentiment I would very much echo, offering as it does a valuable reflection on past practices around philanthropy, craftsmanship, and social stature, making this small but potent vessel one to stir profound ideas and discussions.