England, London / 1686
Two-Handled Cup and Cover
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Two-Handled Cup and Cover as silver (England, London · 1686).
The two female figures lift a crown on the front of this cup that closely resembles Saint Edward’s Crown, the heraldic emblem of the United Kingdom.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this silver as silver gilt.
The museum's collection notes: Produced a year after the coronation of James II (1633–1701), this silver cup celebrates the monarchy and reflects the political and social alliances that underpinned the aristocracy during the 1600s. During their coronation, James II and his second wife Mary of Modena (1658–1718) were carried through the city of London under a silk canopy adorned with motifs inspired by European perceptions of Chinese art, known as chinoiserie. Following the procession, the thirty-two lords involved in the ceremony were each offered a portion of the cloth from the canopy as well as sixteen troy ounces of silver from the posts. At least two of them commission
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtTwo-Handled Cup and CoverOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.