Feeding cup 1707 - 1708

Editor: So, here we have a feeding cup, made between 1707 and 1708, crafted by Thomas Holland I, currently residing at The Met. It’s strikingly simple in its form and material, just silver, and somewhat austere, although the handles are elegantly curved. How should we interpret the significance of this object within its historical moment? Curator: Given that feeding cups were designed for the ill or infants, understanding their context necessitates delving into the socio-cultural norms surrounding health, care, and even mortality during the early 18th century. Metalwork, particularly silver, signaled a degree of affluence. Do you think that access to such a luxury would influence perceptions of health and social standing? Editor: That's an interesting point. Silver was probably associated with the wealthy, and perhaps having such an object gave a family some status even in sickness? But how did institutions, or even politics, play a role in how these objects were perceived? Curator: Absolutely. Think about the burgeoning medical field. While formal medical institutions were still developing, objects like these feeding cups would begin to play a public role as indicators of proper care. Furthermore, sumptuary laws—while waning—had previously dictated who could possess what based on social class. An object like this demonstrates a shift in consumer culture. Do you agree? Editor: I think I do. It’s interesting to see how a seemingly simple object like this is tied up in so many different social and economic threads. Curator: Indeed. It illustrates how even the most intimate, domestic items can be read as reflections of broader societal structures. I'll need to reconsider domestic objects of that time, too! Editor: I didn’t expect something like a feeding cup to tell us so much about early 18th-century life!